Members of your treatment team may include an orthopedic surgeon, a rheumatologist, and a physical therapist.

To help the orthopedist determine your treatment, you'll need a physical exam, a medical history profile, and a description of symptoms.

For most orthopedic disorders and injuries, more than one form of treatment may be appropriate.

The goal of musculoskeletal rehab is to help you return to the highest level of function and independence possible.

Pain in the back or neck area can be acute, which comes on suddenly and intensely, or chronic, which can last for weeks, months, or even years. The pain can be continuous or intermittent.

Stingers occur when the shoulder and head go in opposite directions, the head is moved quickly to one side, or the area above the collarbone is hit.

Most neck pain is caused by sleeping on a bed that’s too soft, poor posture, stress, neck strains or degenerative joint disease that occurs when the joints of the neck become inflamed or a disc pushes outward from its normal position.

Although neck pain can be the result of stress, age or injury, it is most often associated with poor posture.

If your job requires you to sit for much of the day, sooner or later you may experience pain in your back, neck, shoulder, hands or wrists.

Being overweight—especially having excess abdominal fat—strains the lower back. Lack of exercise, poor posture, and sitting too much can also weaken and stress back muscles.

Lose weight if you need to, quit smoking, and ease the stress in your life. All these steps can keep your back pain-free.

Neck pain can result from many different causes—injury to muscles, tendons, or ligaments; arthritis; a herniated disc; or a tumor.