What it is
Neck pain is usually muscular and mechanical — tightness and irritation from posture or repeated motion — though it can also follow a fall, a wipeout, or a hit to the head or neck, which changes what needs to happen first.
Common causes on the North Shore
- Craning your neck to watch the horizon and time waves while paddling
- Looking down at a phone or a desk for long stretches
- A whiplash-type jolt from a wipeout, board strike, or fall
What PT involves here
Manual therapy and joint mobilization, soft-tissue work, and postural training to take pressure off the neck day to day. We build therapeutic exercise around whatever’s loading your neck — paddling posture, desk setup, or general mobility — and send you home with a program to keep it moving in the right direction.
What you can do today
- Move your neck gently through a comfortable range rather than holding it still.
- Take posture breaks if you’re at a desk, on a phone, or paddling for long stretches.
- Use heat for general muscle tightness.
When to see a doctor first
See a doctor or go to the ER before physical therapy if you have numbness, weakness or tingling running down an arm, neck pain after significant trauma (a wipeout, board strike, fall or car accident) especially with any head injury or confusion, a severe headache with neck stiffness and fever, or any trouble with coordination or balance that’s new.
Neck been stiff or sore? Book an evaluation and let’s take a look.
