Post: #1

Lately over the past few weeks I've noticed my upper back, specifically my trapezius muscle have been more tight. I noticed this as I feel stiffness throughout my neck movements and general posture, especially first thing in the morning.

I associate this due to training and posture. I've been doing more overhead movements in the gym and have spent more time sitting at a desk looking down at paper or a keyboard.

Over the past week or two, I've noticed mild headaches occurring often. Around 3-4x a week.

So I did some research.

Link 1

Essentially, neck pain, stiffness, and headaches are a result of tight trapezius, exactly what I imagined. Check out the link to find out some quick tests you can do to determine if you have tight trapezius.

I looked for a video to shed some light to what I can do about it.





I'm about to start tennisball-rolling against a wall to help relieve the tightness a bit.

I know I've had tight trapezius (notably upper traps) for a while now since my massages early this year. However, I still keep doing upper body pressing movements (shoulder presses are particularly aggravating) which leads to tightness in the trapezius. I've been trying to stretch more recently but I think the key here is an actual release.

Anyone else have had experience with tight trapezius in the past? What associated pains have you had from it?

Past couple weeks I've also started doing farmers walks in the gym except carrying the weight stabilized above my head (like a moving shoulder press). It's killer on the traps for development but probably aggravated the tightness as well.

Post: #2

I had something similar bugging me a few times and I think it was from overhead pressing.

Definitely roll with a lacrosse ball and try massaging trigger points associated with that area/muscle:

http://www.triggerpoints.net/symptom/upp...-back-pain

(The trigger points may be in a different location from where you feel the pain.)

Post: #3

Did it ever get to the point of almost excessive stiffness or headaches?

I had warnings early in the year telling me I needed to ease off the overhead pressing or at least stretch/do some release techniques but I ignored it. Now that it has escalated I have no choice.

Post: #4

Not headaches, but I had days where my neck was so stiff it hurt to turn it to look sideways.

Post: #5

I had the same problem too. I actually pulled the muscle though. It gave me a horrible, crippling headache that was triggered by any sort of exercise. I had to wait at least three weeks before exercising again in any way, shape or form. The worst was that it was even triggered by sex.

I remedying it by a combination of stretching and rest. I also focused on exercising my trapezius more by shrugging and deadlifting. They don't both me much anymore, but I always make sure to stretch before I OHP or deadlift.

A good stretch is to put your arm behind your back and pull sideways with your other arm. Then move your head back and forth, left and right, until you feel completely loose. Also, light exercises with low weight that you wouldn't normally do that improve mobility work also.

Post: #6

Must have been rough.

I'm going to do some stretching and massage techniques daily, hopefully this improves quickly.

Post: #7

Used to happen to me all the time, found out it was my middle or lower traps that was the culprit

Post: #8

^^ Did you start stretching out the muscle more or did you simply ease off certain exercises?

Post: #9

When you're doing your pressing movements, look up slightly, especially if you shrug your shoulders upward at the top of the movement. It will take the pressure off the nerve in your neck caused by your traps.

The best cure for sore traps is taking a broomstick and rolling it up and down the shoulder, using both hands to put pressure on them. You need more shoulder flexibility than a bench bro to pull it off. The other thing I like doing is shoulder dislocates, seems to loosen up the traps. Feels damn good.