Your trapezius
muscles are some of the first to bother you when you are
under stress. They ache and burn from the base of your skull
to between your shoulder blades. The good news is that they are
relatively easy to massage.
When we are under stress, one of the first muscles to cause
us pain is
our trap muscles, and part of that reason is because of the nifty
role they play in our movement. If you are in pain now, skip
to the "How
to Massage your
Trapezius" section. If you want tips on relieving
trapezius muscle pain through better movement and posture, go to
Trapezius Exercises.
The
trapezius is a broad triangular muscle which attaches to the base of
the skull, and lies at the back of the neck, over the upper shoulders
and extends down your upper back to your mid back. It is one
of
the most likely muscles to get sore knots or "trigger points".
The
trap muscles are the only muscles which can lift the outside
of your shoulders to create a "shrug". They move the head and
neck toward the shoulder of the other side. The middle of the
muscles pull the shoulder blades together, while the lower draw the
shoulder blades downward. They support the weight of the arms.
Often these movements are at play when we are under stress, and doing
the activities that cause stress.
Where do Trapezius Muscles cause Pain?
Trap pain is classic stress pain. Your shoulders ache, your
neck hurts and it is often deep and achy. You may have a
headache, especially in the temples or behind your eyes or at the base
of your skull. You may feel burning between your shoulder
blades
after sitting at your computer without elbow support.
What causes Trapezius Muscle Pain?
Stress. Stress. Stress.
Relax those shoulders!
One of the first, primary causes of trapezius strain is carrying your
shoulders up near your ears. Remember to relax your shoulders.
Head
forward posture.
Often people,
particularly people in
the west, people in charge, forward-thinking people, or people who are
planning/worrying about the future stand and sit with a head forward
position. Remember to sit up straight, lower your shoulders
and bring your head back. This relieves strain on the
trapezius. You can also try some online yoga
to improve your posture.
Holding a phone
between your ear and
shoulder. Get a
headset.
Carrying a heavy
purse or
backpack. Ask
yourself if
everything you have is really necessary. Switch your purse
from one shoulder to the next frequently. Carry your
important stuff in a fanny pack. And don't forget to do your
stretches.
Bra straps that are
too tight
or the weight of
heavy breasts pulling
on your straps. Have your bra fit by a person trained to get
a good fit. And remember to do your trap stretches.
Breastfeeding a baby
with your
shoulders hunched forward and
the
weight of the baby in your arms can cause trapezius muscle
pain. Check your posture and bring your shoulders
back. Do side-lying whenever possible. Support the
baby on a pillow on your lap. Remind yourself to take a small
break from gazing at your sweetie once in a while, to bring your head
up and relax your shoulders.
Sleeping on your back
or stomach
with your head turned to one
side. Change your sleeping position (easier said than done).
Any position where you head
is turned
to one
side for a long
time. Are you a teacher and you turn to look at the student
next to you? Do you turn to see your computer screen?
Bending forward while
working.
Do you bend forward
to work
at a sewing machine or look down at your knitting? Do you
bend forward when you type at the computer? Do you do
beading? Sit up!
Too high keyboard.
Get a keyboard
shelf for your desk.
Working with no arm
rests and the
weight of your
arms hang from your
shoulders. Get a chair with arm rests. Put your
hands in your pockets if you are standing for a long time.
Support your arms to prevent trapezius muscle pain.
Whip lash.
This just
takes recovery time.
Playing violin, piano,
backpacking, bike
riding, or other
activities which
heavily rely on the trapezius muscles. Remember to
stretch. Watch your posture. Take a break when you
need your trap muscles to recover.
Trapezius
Exercises
You can prevent and relieve pain in your trapezius muscles by
exercising them. Exercise brings circulation to the muscles,
and it relaxes them. Most importantly, if done correctly
exercise will strengthen supporting muscles that support good posture.
You can relieve a lot of muscle strain by using many muscles
groups in a relaxed with, without overworking your traps.
My Yoga Online
is an excellent
way to get instruction on using your
back correctly. They offer classes in Pilates, Yoga, and
Meditation. For more information on how My Yoga Online works,
go to Online Yoga
Workout with My Yoga Online.
Massaging
your Trapezius Muscles
It's easy to find your trapezius muscles.
The top of your trapezius muscle is one of the most common locations
for shoulder tension.
This is the most likely place someone will massage you when they give
you a neck massage, and it often needs it. It can be tender
and sore and have spots which "hurt so good" to be pressed.
It is not hard to find knots and ropes in this muscle.
How
to Massage
your Trapezius
The trapezius muscles
are very likely to have tender knots or trigger
points. Pressing on these points can help release the muscle
and
ease the pain from its strain. Use your good judgment--do not
press so hard or long that you hurt yourself! This is about
stress relief and not injury,
When you press on any of the areas shown in red, you are likely to find
a tender area. Apply firm but gentle pressure for 10-30
seconds.
Sometimes you will feel the muscle relax under your fingers.
These
areas can be difficult to reach if you are trying to massage your own
back. Here are some tricks to get to the sore spots!
Lying Down
When
you lie down, your trapezius muscle relaxes because it doesn't need to
hold the weight of your arms. Be sure to use a pillow that
keeps
your neck exactly in line with your spine, otherwise the trap may get
stressed in this position.
Once you are lying down, just knead your muscles and press on any sore
spots.
Tennis Ball
Place a tennis ball (or hard rubber ball) under your trapezius one of
the tender areas and lie
on it.
You can control the location and pressure by moving your body.
Another nice way to reach your trap muscles is to use the tennis ball
against a door frame. This looks more awkward than it feels.
It is really a very nice way to massage the tops of your
shoulders.
Body Back Buddy
The Body Back Buddy
is a
handy tool which can help you reach many unreachable pressure points.
You can use it easily on any of the areas of trapezius muscle
pain.
I also recommend online
yoga classes to help correct your posture, stretch your
muscles and relieve your back pain.
The
trapezius is a broad triangular muscle which attaches to the base of
the skull, and lies at the back of the neck, over the upper shoulders
and extends down your upper back to your mid back. It is one
of
the most likely muscles to get sore knots or "trigger points".
