Neck & Shoulder Pain — Physiotherapy in London

Seek urgent care if neck pain follows significant trauma, or comes with arm weakness, persistent pins and needles, or problems with balance or walking. Go to A&E for severe pain after a fall, or if you feel generally unwell with fever. Otherwise, most mechanical neck and shoulder pain settles well with physiotherapy and self-management.

Usually not as a first step. NICE advises against routine imaging for non-specific neck pain and early shoulder pain, because scans often show changes that are common in pain-free people and rarely alter treatment. Imaging becomes appropriate after significant trauma, with genuine red flags, or when symptoms fail to improve with rehabilitation over several weeks.

Frozen shoulder typically passes through three phases — freezing (painful), frozen (stiff), and thawing (resolution) — which together can last well over a year. Physiotherapy helps throughout: managing pain, maintaining movement, and supporting the thawing phase. We avoid aggressive stretching while it is most painful and build mobility gradually as symptoms settle. Timelines vary between individuals.

Sustained desk postures are a common contributor, particularly a forward-head and rounded-shoulder position held for hours. This loads the neck and upper trapezius and can stiffen the shoulders. The fix is rarely one perfect posture — it is movement variety, breaks, and building strength. Our physiotherapists address workstation habits alongside a tailored exercise plan.