Trapezius stretches can relieve tension and increase flexibility in the upper back muscle. The trapezius has three sections, and different stretches are required to target each one. These stretches should be held for 20-30 seconds and performed once a day for optimal benefit.
Trapezius stretches include any exercise designed to increase flexibility and relieve tension in the trapezius muscle of the upper back. The trapezius, named for its trapezoidal shape, is, among other things, responsible for raising or shrugging the shoulders. As such, it often becomes cramped, particularly among people who sit hunched over a computer all day. From sedentary office workers to bodybuilders and athletes like cyclists who use this muscle frequently, almost everyone can benefit from incorporating trapezius stretches into their exercise routine.
Although it is a continuous muscle, the trapezius has three sections: the upper, middle, and lower trapezius. It is diamond-shaped, with the triangle of the upper trapezius joining the occipital bone at the base of the skull and extending to the top of either shoulder blade. The middle trapezius runs horizontally between the upper thoracic vertebra and the upper outer edges of the shoulder blades. Below that is the inverted triangle of the lower trapezius, which runs diagonally on each side of the spine from the lower thoracic vertebra to the outer edges of the shoulder blades.
Because each section of the muscle has its own function, different trapezius stretches are required to target each one. The upper trapezius raises the shoulders and supports the weight of the arms, much like carrying heavy grocery bags at your sides. You can stretch, then, clasping your hands behind your back, lowering your shoulders, lifting your chest, and slightly tucking your chin. To intensify the stretch, the head can be tilted to one side, held, and then repeated on the other side. This stretch should be held for 20-30 seconds in any position without bouncing or moving.
The middle trapezius is responsible for joining the shoulder blades. To stretch this area of the upper back, hands should be together in front of the body at chest height, shoulders and upper back rounded forward, and shoulder blades separated. The middle trapezius stretch should also be held for 20-30 seconds and can also be performed by gripping a vertical bar at chest height and rounding the upper back.
To stretch the lower trapezius, which depresses or lowers the shoulder blades and draws them in, particularly when the arms are stretched overhead, one should begin by grasping the back of a chair, a low wall, or countertop. Standing approximately three feet back so that the arms are extended in front of the body and the hands are approximately shoulder-width apart, one should push the hips back and hang from the chair or counter so that the torso be parallel to the ground. Both legs and arms should be straight, but the mid-back should be slightly rounded with shoulder blades apart. This stretch should be similarly held for 20-30 seconds, and each of these trapezius stretches should be performed once a day for optimal benefit.
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