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Mechanical neck pain refers to pain related to the structure of the neck and occurs when one of the joints in the cervical spine loses its normal joint mobility (resiliency and shock absorption). When a joint develops dysfunction, its normal movement may be affected and a vicious cycle of muscle imbalance and muscle pain emerges. The loss of joint mobility can cause abnormal signals to the nervous system (there are an abundance of nerve receptors in the joint). The muscles related to that joint can subsequently become tense or, conversely, underactive. This muscle imbalance can place increased stress on the joint, aggravating the joint dysfunction that already exists, resulting in pain and further dysfunction.