Muscle Tension in Trapezuis Muscle

workoutqueen628

Hey all,
I am a student who holds a lot of tension in my trapezuis muscle. I was convinced it is from sitting and studying a lot and leaning over the computer, but now it's summer and i'm still not feeling any better. I went to see a physical therapist and she gave me some posture exercises which I have not been doing too diligently, but even when I do them, I still don't feel 100% better. Is there anything else I can do to relieve this tension? I do a lot of cardio, which I think helps to loosen up my body. I also like to do weights, but I feel like I should not do them too often because it makes my neck tight. Does anyone else have a desk job and suffer from this problem? Any tips/suggestions for relief?

fearlessfatty

yoga, stretching, stretching,stretching,yoga. . . . heat will soothe the muscle, then hold stretch for 30 sec. 3x day
google trap stretches but know that they break it into upper, middle and lower trap stretches. good luck

xonophone

Just like any other type of strengthening that you do, postural exercises take time to build strength and stability and will only work if you are diligent and consistent with them. Pay close attention to your posture while you are sitting at a desk as well. If your PT is a good one s/he will give you tons of good information on how to correct your posture. There is no quick fix for postural dysfunction - doing an exercise once isn't going to make your pain go away. Follow your PT's recommendations and with time you should feel better.