About the Patient
My name is Ian Lavis. I had been suffering from recurrent, niggling neck and shoulder pain on my left side for years, and it was gradually getting worse, so a few years ago I finally decided to get it looked at.

The Problem Before Treatment
It was just mild pain that came and went at first, but over time it began to bother me more, and I didn’t want to do anything to aggravate it. As a self-employed English trainer and content writer, I’m at my desk most of the day, so I knew it was something to do with that, but I didn’t know what specifically was causing it. I keep relatively fit and regularly go to the gym, and I wasn’t sure if maybe working out had caused the problem to flare up.

Tech Neck
Tim at Surrey Physio had great reviews online and had successfully treated my partner for a back injury, so I made an appointment with him. After examining my neck and shoulder area, and the way I sat, Tim immediately identified the problem – something he called ‘tech neck’.

He used a measuring device to show that I was leaning forward too much, even when I wasn’t at my PC, and this was putting strain on my neck and shoulder muscles, causing tightness and pain. The problem I was experiencing was the result of years of sitting at my laptop and leaning forward towards my screen. This is a common problem for people who work in IT, writing, and other desk-based roles, hence the name tech neck.

Treatment Received
Tim suggested a series of massages and the use of heat to target the problem area. He advised me on posture and how to set up my desk, chair and PC to avoid leaning in towards the screen, and he gave me a list of exercises to do every day.

Massages and Self-Help
After a few sessions, I noticed a significant improvement and the pain was greatly reduced. I continued with the self-help exercises and focused on my posture when at my desk, and gradually the pain went away. Importantly, Tim doesn’t just treat the cause and the pain itself — he helps patients adopt self-help strategies to avoid problems in future.

In the years since I first saw Tim, I’ve only once experienced the problem again. This was when I lapsed into bad habits when I was up against deadlines and forgot to give myself regular breaks from my screen. This time, I made an appointment with Anthony because his clinic was a bit more convenient for me to get to.

Orthopaedic Pillow
Anthony was just as effective at treating the pain and giving advice. He got me to focus on my posture when standing and walking, not just when sitting. He also gave me an orthopaedic pillow to test, and I loved it, so I bought one. This has helped with sleeping, not just relieving pain.

I still get the occasional feeling of stiffness and mild pain from time to time, but now I know what to do to rectify it.

Final Thoughts
Thanks Tim and Anthony for your support, encouragement and motivation. You’ve been a great help!