Neck pain
Neck pain physiotherapy, Hobart
Your neck rarely works alone.
Tight, locked, can't turn to reverse the car, headaches from the base of the skull. We assess the neck, upper back and shoulders together, and test what eases it in the first session.
Book initial assessment Our approach
No referral needed. All major health funds.
- No referral needed
- All major health funds
- GP care plans accepted
- Hobart
Neck pain is usually a load problem, not just a posture problem. When the upper back and shoulder blades aren't sharing the work, the neck picks it up.
More than a stiff neck.
Neck pain usually shows up as stiffness, a sore spot you keep rubbing, or pain turning your head. It often travels into the shoulder blade, down the arm, or up into the head as a headache. We look at the neck as part of a system: the upper back, shoulder blades and jaw all change how much load the neck carries.
Stiff and locked
Can't turn your head to reverse the car or check a blind spot.
Headaches from the neck
Starting at the base of the skull. All our physios are trained in the Watson headache approach.
Into the shoulder or arm
Pain, tingling or heaviness into the shoulder blade or down the arm.
Worse by the end of the day
After long stretches at a desk, on a screen, or driving.
What's loading it.
Your neck does a set amount of work every day. When the muscles around it can't handle that load, the force moves to tendons and joints, and that's usually when it starts to hurt.
Upper back stiffness
If the upper back doesn't move, the neck moves more to make up for it.
Shoulder blade control
Shoulder blades that don't sit and move well hand extra load to the neck.
Sustained positions
The other 23.5 hours: desks, screens, driving and how you sleep.
Load spikes
A big week at work, a long drive, or a new gym program.
Guarding and tension
Bracing that keeps the neck muscles switched on all day.
The jaw
Clenching and jaw tension can feed into neck pain and headaches.
Sound familiar?
- Tight, stiff, feels locked
- Can't turn to reverse the car
- Headaches from the base of the neck
- Whole head feels sensitive
- Tight and like a pinch
- Referred down the arm
- Worse by the end of the day
- Hard to get comfortable in bed
How we work through it.
We start with what eases it now, then build the capacity so your neck isn't carrying more than its share.
Assess
We test your neck, upper back and shoulders, and screen what's driving any headaches.
Explain
What's loading your neck, in plain language.
Plan
A clear pathway, built around what you came in to get back to.
Load
Upper back and shoulder blade work first, then strength through the neck and shoulders.
Measure
We re-test rotation, range and your headaches as you go.
Progress
Heavier and more varied loading, into a routine you keep.
Three phases. Your pace.
Calm
Settle the pain and restore early movement. You learn what flares it and what eases it.
Coordination and capacity
Retrain how your neck, upper back and shoulders share the load, light first, then heavier.
Challenge
Strength for life, so your neck handles whatever your day and training throw at it.
What we measure.
A generic example of what we track. Your starting point is your own, which is why we measure rather than guess.
| Measure | Baseline | Re-test | What decides the next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neck rotation | Painful and limited turning one way | Range and comfort both ways | Comfortable rotation both ways moves you into heavier loading |
| Headaches | How often, how long, what sets them off | Frequency and what sets them off | Fewer triggers means we add load and variety |
| Upper back movement | Stiff through the upper back | Range through the upper back | Better range lets the shoulders take more load |
Keep building once the pain's gone.
Phase three happens in our own gym. When you're ready, Strength By Design is where that work carries on, coached and physio-designed.
What makes us different.
We look at how you move
Not just where it hurts. The movement pattern, the coordination, and what's actually loading the sore spot.
Strength is the treatment
Pain relief is the start. Loading the right muscles in the right order is the work that follows.
We explain the why
You leave every session knowing more about your body than when you arrived.
Progress you can see
We measure where you start and re-test as you go, so you always know where you're at.
One standard of care
Every physio works to the same assessment-led method, every session.
Clinic and gym under one roof
Seven treatment rooms and a private gym, run by the same team.
Common questions about neck pain.
Can physio help with headaches?
Often, when the headache is coming from the neck. All our physios are trained in the Watson headache approach, and we assess whether your neck is driving your headaches before we treat it.
Should I rest my neck?
Usually not completely. Gentle movement within what's comfortable tends to help more than keeping it still. We'll find what your neck can handle and build from there.
My scan shows disc changes or arthritis in my neck. Is that the problem?
Not necessarily. Disc and joint changes are common on neck scans in people with no pain at all. We'll walk you through what yours means for your situation.
I've had neck treatment before and it came back. What's different here?
Often the treatment eased the neck without changing what was loading it. We look at the upper back, the shoulder blades and the rest of your day, and build the strength around that.
Do I need a referral?
No. You can book directly without a GP referral, unless your insurer or GP has specified otherwise. If you have a GP care plan (CDM or EPC), we accept it: you pay the full fee, we lodge the Medicare claim for you, and Medicare pays the rebate to you.
Ready to get on top of your neck pain?
No referral needed. All major health funds. GP care plans accepted. Hobart.
Or call or text 0483 947 716, or email hello@bydesignphysio.com