Physical therapy is considered to be very effective in addressing persistent neck pain. The main goal of PT is to effectively develop both the flexibility and strength of the neck.

Active exercises help to successfully achieve these goals. Talking about the active exercises, these are intended to work on the neck region along with the adjoining muscles

The amount and type of exercises can vary depending on one individual to another. In some of the cases, exercises are also meant to work on other areas of the body.

A physical therapist plays a very important role in improving the mobility of patients. They teach the patients many effective active PT approaches which help out to reinforce their cervical spine muscles.

Read the below-mentioned guide to know about the significance of active PT for neck pain.

Different Types Of Active PT To Know About

Some of the most common and effective types of active PT for neck pain are:

  •         Core And Back Strengthening

If you are experiencing pain in the neck, then physical therapy helps to effectively manage the pain. Your physical therapist will recommend you improve neck strength as well as functioning.

This is possible by opting for core and back strengthening exercises. While you perform these exercises, the muscle groups specifically work together for supporting the spine. In turn, this helps to improve posture.

  •         Neck Stretches And Exercises

Your physical therapist will prescribe you several exercises and stretches for improving the condition of the neck.

All of these exercises are designed in a manner by performing which, you can train your muscles that are directly attached to the cervical spine.

The most common example of this is considered to be the chin tuck. This involves looking forward and then gently pulling the chin straight back.

  •         Aquatic Exercise

You need to perform some of the physical therapy exercises in a pool. This is better known to be aquatic therapy. The buoyancy of the water is proved to be very much helpful in taking pressure off the spine.

But, it still allows the working of muscles. Your physical therapist will suggest you go for aquatic exercise if the neck pain is severe or is accompanied by back or shoulder pain.

  •         Aerobic Activity

This particular type of exercise helps in the elevation of blood flow. Along with that, it also effectively elevates breathing levels. This is because, both the lungs and the heart work much harder at the time of performing this workout.

Some of the most common examples of aerobic activities include brisk walking, cycling on a reclined or upright bike, snorkel for eliminating the rotation of the neck, and swimming by making use of a mask.

All of these types of active physical therapy are proved to be very effective in treating neck pain. You can either use any of them depending on your needs or all of them combined for dealing with persistent pain in the neck.

These physical therapy exercises are used at diverse stages of the treatment plan. Your physical therapist will provide you recommendations depending on your specific therapy goals.

Precautionary Measures To Take

You should always perform an active PT program under the supervision of an expert physical therapist. Then only, it is safe to use. Otherwise, it can result in many complications and risks like:

  •         Stiffness and pain may get more worse initially

Whenever you begin a completely new exercise routine, it is normal for muscles to develop some swelling and soreness. So, you should focus on starting a new physical therapy program slowly.

The workouts are needed to be gradually increased in the following sessions. Due to this reason, you should always perform these exercises under the guidance of an expert physical therapist. In this way, you would be able to deal with stiffness and pain.

  •         Improper technique may even worsen the injury

If you are improperly performing these exercises, then it can lead to injury by overloading of soft tissues and joints. So, you should perform the exercises only under expert guidance.

Final Verdict

So, it is evident from the above-mentioned section that active physical therapy works effectively in reducing neck pain. Contact us