Question
I have a muscle/nerve type pain on the left had side of my neck that sometimes spreads to the back of my shoulder, it affects me most when im in the gym weightraining especially when doing high reps ,i think is been cause by wear and tear and poor form working out, can a chiropractor help me, its not a sharp pain and it affects me most when doing bicep exercises.

Answer
Dear Mark,

Absolutely a chiropractic physician can help you out.  

Poor form (as you suspect)is the most likely cause of the pain, but when you have poor form, especially when weight training, this leads to increased stress not only on the muscular system but also on the skeletal and ligamentous system.  Consequently, the muscle will now become even more overworked and this is what sets people up for injury.  

From your description, I am sure that there is involvement of the neck as well as the muscular system.  You most likely have forward movement of the head on the shoulders which increases the forces generated in the upper back and lower neck. you may also have tight pec major and minor muscles which will round the shoulders forward.  this is common in weightlifters with poor form and symmetry. The muscles become overworked, and injury can occur.  Your location probably involves fibers of the trapezius muscle as well as the levator scapulae muscle, and maybe some of the serratus musculature.

These areas can be addressed with myofascial release techniques,spinal adjustments and corrective exercises, but ultimately you will need to learn how to train more appropriately so that you do not further compound the dysfunction or create any other problems.

Mark, I encourage you to find a chiropractor in your area.  Most do free consultations, and are very effective with musculoskeletal problems.  in addition it may be beneficial to hire a personal trainer to help you learn proper technique and how to create muscle symmetry from the front to the back in order to balance your workouts.  If you need any further help or guidance on how to choose a chiropractor, just let me know.

Respectfully,
Dr. J. Shawn Leatherman
Director of Clinical Rehabilitation
WWW.SUNCOASTHEALTHCARE.NET