Upper Trapezius Pain Relief 101

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by Mary Kubisch, CMT

The trapezius muscle is one of the major muscles of the back. It is made up of the upper, middle and lower “traps”. The upper traps, the part that goes across the tops of your shoulders, is responsible for lifting your shoulder girdle. It also helps to extend, lift and rotate your neck.

Unfortunately, if you spend a lot of time behind a desk or hours behind the wheel, your shoulders could be in a constant lifted state. This can lead to a misalignment which could, in turn, leave the upper traps chronically tight. The result may well be pain, limited movement and a loss of neck flexibility.

Fortunately, solutions exist that can help ease tension in this area and are easy to implement.

  • Tight Traps Love a Good Massage ~ Since the trapezius muscles are superficial, they are easy to manipulate by a massage therapist. Massage can relieve tension and break up any knots that have formed from the constant state of being lifted. Clients can expect to feel pain relief and more mobility after just one session.

  • The Upper Traps Are Easy to Stretch ~ Sit up tall, pull in your abs and feel your spine align. Take your right hand and gently reach over to place it on the left side of your head. Without lifting your right shoulder, gently and slowly pull your head over to the right side as far as you can while still feeling comfortable and without straining. Breathe and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat on the left side. Try doing this stretch throughout the day.

If your traps are in need of a little TLC, our certified massage therapist, Mary Kubisch, is here to help. Click HERE to view her schedule and book your next appointment.

Eurona Tilley