Physiotherapists in Finchley treat many different conditions including the issues profiled below.

The Causes of Neck Pain

The neck is a strong structure, being part of the mechanically strong and durable spinal column, formed by the individual vertebrae which are bound together by the disc outer walls and large numbers of ligaments. The neck has some large powerful muscles and some smaller postural ones to maintain itself within safe limits. Disc problems or trapped nerves are uncommon in neck problems and surgery for neck symptoms is much less common than for back problems. As with mechanical low back pain, MRI scans and x-rays are not particularly helpful in normal neck pain and can even be confusing.

MRI scan reports often reveal .degenerative changes. in the discs or joints of the cervical spine, which sounds serious but is present in the necks of many people who do not have neck pain. These changes are time related and do not reflect ongoing damage in the spine. One of the frustrating aspects of neck pain is that the physiotherapist and the doctor are unlikely to be able to put their finger on the exact cause of the pain, but this is very common and not a cause for alarm. Most neck pain is thought to come from the joints, ligaments and muscles in the cervical spine.

Disc Nutrition and Posture

The supply of nutritional substances to the inner parts of the discs is in general poor and a lack of this supply is connected with degenerative disc changes. Large differences in the compression forces inside an intervertebral disc can be generated by relatively small changes in posture. These changes have correspondingly large effects on fluid flow out of and into discs and on diffusion of metabolic agents into the disc. The effectiveness of the transport of these materials depends on how far they have to travel from the nearest blood vessel which is usually in the vertebral endplate (top or bottom of the disc).

When bending, the back of the disc walls is stretched and the fronts are compressed, with stretching making the wall thinner and therefore more easily crossed by nutrients. This brings more food supply into the central area of the rear of the disc, the area which receives least nutrition. Compression from movement also squeezes water from the disc and as it returns when the pressure is relieved the incoming water brings nutrients along with it. Changes from a lordosis to a flexed position regularly increase the fluid flow in and out of the disc, encouraging the transport of nutrients.