Muscle spasm that has locked up your back or neck
A spasm can stop you mid-movement and leave you stuck at an angle. Muscle guarding is usually protecting something else, so the question is not only how to settle the muscle but what it is reacting to.
Who this page is for
Adults with sudden or recurring muscle guarding in the neck, mid back or low back.
Why people come in
These are reasons patients give for booking. They are not a diagnosis, and only an examination can tell you what is happening in your case.
- A sudden catch that stops you mid-movement
- Being stuck leaning to one side
- A band of tightness that will not release
- Spasm that returns whenever you do a particular task
How the evaluation works
We examine the affected muscles alongside the joints they cross, and look for the load or movement pattern that keeps provoking them.
How we may approach care
Care may include soft tissue therapy, gentle joint work as tolerated, and advice on movement and heat or ice, followed by exercise once the acute stage settles.
What a first visit may involve
Expect gentle handling. The aim of the first visit is to settle symptoms enough to examine properly and to identify the trigger.
Safety and when to seek other care
Spasm with fever, following significant trauma, with chest or abdominal pain, or with neurological symptoms needs medical assessment first.
Questions patients ask
Heat or ice?
It depends on the stage and your findings. Your provider will advise for your case.
Why does it keep coming back?
Recurring spasm usually points to an underlying load or joint issue, which is what the examination looks for.
Where this care is offered
The clinical explanation above is the same at every clinic. Location links add only what is specific to that clinic.
Related pages
Clinical review
Clinician review pending. This page has not yet been signed off by a named Inspine provider, and no reviewer is claimed until one confirms it. See our provider profiles.
Take the first step.
Call the clinic nearest you, or send a request and our team will follow up to agree a time.