Tightness of the trapezius muscles affects many people in various situations. Maybe you've just started working out regularly. Maybe you have been doing too many overhead activities such as swimming or playing tennis. You might have carried heavy objects or been sitting in one position for a long period of time. Or maybe you're just stressed out. This can also cause tension in the upper back, neck and arms and sometimes even develop headaches.
Here's why this happens. Your trapezius muscles consist of three parts (upper, middle and lower) and have many different functions including.
- lifting your shoulders
- holding up your neck and head
- moving your shoulder blade.
Tight traps are bound to happen eventually, so to help you keep them moving we have put together 4 simple tips for you.
1. Check for Tightness Throughout the Day
Whether you're sitting at your desk or out for a run, periodically check where your shoulders are. Are they relaxed or are your traps contracted? Are you shrugging your shoulders? In the ideal state, your shoulders should be in line with your collarbone and not elevated or rounding forward. You can easily check this by simply letting your shoulders ‘fall’ or ‘drop’ You may realize you have them in a shrugged or elevated position too often.
2. Do Shoulder Shrugs
To prevent your traps from tightening, and to release tension from the traps, do shoulder shrugs regularly throughout the day. Exaggerate the movement by pulling your shoulders all the way to your ears, holding them there for a few seconds, and then letting them fall to a relaxed position. You can also loosen your traps by rolling your shoulders in both directions too.
3. Stretch
Here's how to stretch tight traps, or those that may become tight after a long day of work or training:
- Forward stretch: Gently pull your head forward with your chin toward your neck as if you were nodding, then actively pull down the tight trap towards the ground. For a stronger stretch, use your opposite hand (to the trap you are pulling down) to gently pull the head further down. Hold this position for 15 to 20, switch sides and repeat 2-3 times
- Side stretch: Gently pull your head to the side so your ear approaches the opposite shoulder. Actively pull down the tight trap towards the ground. For a stronger stretch, use your opposite hand (to the trap you are pulling down) to gently pull the head down towards the shoulder. Hold this position for 15 to 20 seconds, switch sides and repeat 2-3 times
- Diagonal stretch: Gently pull your head diagonally forward as if you are sniffing your armpit. Actively pull down the tight trap towards the ground. For a stronger stretch, use your opposite hand (to the trap you are pulling down) to gently pull the head down towards the armpit further. Hold this position for 15 to 20 seconds, switch sides and repeat 2-3 times
4. Get a Massage ball on your Traps
You will need is a wall and a hard or spikey ball (it can also be any other ball or round durable item).
First, massage yourself by rolling the ball on your traps, with some pressure. You will feel how tight it is and there will likely be one spot that hurts the most. Wherever that spot is, stay there with your massage ball and slightly push. Hold that for at least 90 seconds or until you feel a release of tension. Repeat this until you feel that they have gotten looser.
If you feel the tightness on the back, more in your middle traps and between your shoulder blades just roll the ball down a little lower until you hit that spot with the ball and repeat the massage process. If you still feel like the hard ball hasn’t helped or you're experiencing more than just a little bit of tension. Book a session with one of our practitioners at Evado Studios.
Follow these guidelines to get rid of tight traps faster and return to your daily activities. It'll be like a weight has lifted off your shoulders.