History

Lindsey came into our office due to pain she was having in her upper back and neck in West Fargo ND. Due to all the craziness that has come with the last few years Lindsey was sitting more than usual at her desk and was also moving much less throughout the day. Over the last few months, Lindsey started to develop neck, upper back, and headaches.

Lindsey had a few past neck injuries, but this time was much worse, and her neck was affecting her too much throughout the day. She heard about our clinic through a co-worker who recommended our clinic.

Exams in West Fargo ND

As a chiropractor who's certified in FAKTR and who frequently sees these conditions, we conducted a comprehensive upper back and neck evaluation. We noticed the following findings in Lindsey's upper back and neck exam:

• Significant pain the left and right trapezius muscles in her upper shoulders.
• Weakness of the stabilizer muscles in Lindsey's neck when strength testing.
• Restricted range of motion in the neck and upper spine.
• No neurological findings or red flags associated with the disc injury.
• A history of an auto accident 10 years ago and a few falls which she recovered from well.

Prognosis

After evaluating Lindsey, we discussed her condition and her prognosis. We discussed daily activities such as postural positions can affect her back and posture. We also discussed her concerns of not wanting to continue taking medication to help the pain. We also discussed her goals regarding working out.

Condition

Lindsey is dealing with cervical and thoracic spine dysfunction. Due to the abnormal movement and biomechanics of her spine this can lead to pain, muscles spasms, and decreased range of motion.

Spinal dysfunction can lead to headaches known as "cervicogenic" headaches

Treatment

I discussed with Lindsey our treatment plan. We could achieve the results she desired with a combination of Chiropractic adjustments and FAKTR soft tissue therapies and specific exercises for her condition. I explained to Lindsey that we could obtain these results rather quickly with pain reduction over the course of 1 week and the ability to sit more comfortably and get up and down from the floor in 2-3 weeks. I also explained that it may take longer to develop her strength back in the upper back and neck due to the abnormal muscle patterns that have developed over the course of the last few years from her postural positions. Most of this strength would be developed from a home exercise plan.

Exercises

Here are the most important exercises I gave Lindsey to stretch and strengthen her upper back and neck.