The levator scapulae muscle is essential to good neck and shoulder posture, but can easily tighten from improper positioning or exercise, leading to neck pain or headaches.
Levator Scapulae Stretching can help alleviate neck and tension headaches, particularly for desk workers or individuals using their shoulders for heavy exercise. This holds especially true if levator scapulae stretching is performed regularly.
Exercise 1: Scaption with Shrug
Levator Scapulae (Shoulder Blade Lifter), is a muscle that raises up the shoulder blade (scapula). Originating at the cervical spine and attaching to the upper part of scapula, its tightness or trigger points may contribute to neck pain, poor posture and shoulder instability. Stretching and strengthening this muscle helps improve posture and shoulder stability while providing an excellent warm up exercise before barbell exercises.
To perform this move, stand on an elastic resistance band with your feet shoulder-width apart and hands by your sides, palms in. Gradually raise your shoulders into a shrugging motion before rotating backwards and forwards before returning them to their original positions – repeat this movement several times for best results.
The levator scapulae assists with side bending and rotation of the cervical spine, but when tight it can create problems such as forward head tilt. If this happens frequently it may lead to tightness and neck pain as compensation may occur by elevating the scapulae as opposed to its intended function – potentially leading to tightness and neck pain in turn.
One way to quickly assess whether or not levator scapulae are contributing to your pain or discomfort is with a quick mobility test. Standing up straight, side flex your neck slightly toward your shoulder until your ear approaches it – if you’re suffering from forward head posture this may prove challenging without activating levator scapulae in an outright response mode.
It occurs because the muscles that should support this movement, including trapezius and serratus anterior muscles, aren’t firing correctly and taking over compensating roles to support rotation of scapular movement resulting in neck pain, headaches and dysfunctional scapular movement. By performing a neck rotation and chin tuck stretch you’ll help correct this issue by getting these muscles firing correctly once more and relieving overcompensating from being required by levator scapulae for this job and start experiencing lasting relief from neck pain!
Exercise 2: Scaption with Kneel
The levator scapulae muscle helps move your shoulder blade, as well as bend your neck sideways. Overexertion or poor posture may strain this small muscle that causes pain when overused. Overtraining could strain it further.
Sitting for extended periods and hunching over is one of the leading causes of levator scapulae strain, leading to tightness and stiffness in shoulders and upper back, which in turn may lead to scapular dyskinesia, making you unable to tilt head forwards or sideways as desired, leading to pain in back of neck area.
Exercise to strengthen this muscle and prevent it from tightening can help alleviate some symptoms, including the barbell shrug or scapular retractions exercise. Doing these exercises also help improve posture so that shoulders and upper back are in line with spine.
Another effective method for stretching the levator scapulae muscle is performing a rotational movement with your neck. Do this by turning your head left while gazing downward, holding this position for around 30 seconds, before switching sides and repeating.
Trigger point massage may help ease muscle tension and regain flexibility, by placing a spikey ball on your upper back area just above your scapula (on levator scapulae muscles). Lean against a wall and apply pressure where tension builds. Roll the ball up and down your back, paying special attention to tight spots; if this doesn’t do the trick for you then hold it for 30 seconds in that spot until a more manageable spot surfaces.
The levator scapulae may not be an obvious muscle, but its role is essential in maintaining neck and shoulder health. Overusing this muscle, for example by lifting heavy objects over your head repeatedly or engaging in sports that involve rotating and twisting of shoulders like swimming and racquet sports like tennis and squash, can strain it over time – poor posture can contribute to tight and sore levator scapulae muscles as can sleeping improperly; poor sleeping position contributes further.
Exercise 3: Cat Stretch
The levator scapulae muscle controls shoulder blade movement forward and sideways. If overstretched, its contraction can result in dysfunctional movement patterns known as scapular dyskinesis whereby muscle moves in an unintended way to compensate. This may cause pain in your neck. Multiple factors can contribute to its shortening including bad posture, overuse or carrying heavy bags over one’s shoulders – these movements often manifest themselves as neck and upper back discomfort that often feels similar. Forward head posture contributes further by forcing its muscles overwork and overstretching further and shortening this movement cycle until ultimately they fatigue out and tighten down further, creating tightness within this muscle group and creating tension within this group resulting in tightened up muscles overwork and tightness throughout.
Good news – it is easy to stretch this muscle to improve its function! One effective exercise is known as Cat or Cow Pose in yoga; this simple tuck and stretch helps stretch lower back, hips, core and levator scapulae as well as relieve tension from back of neck/head/shoulders/neck. While often performed while standing, this movement pattern may prove challenging if balance issues exist – for those experiencing difficulties doing this movement pattern it would be prudent to perform it sitting down instead.
Start in tabletop position, which means kneeling on all fours with your wrists directly beneath your shoulders and your knees aligned over your hips. Press through your shoulders to keep your back flat as you inhale into a C shape by arching your spine toward the ceiling and tucking chin into chest, before exhaling to release C shape into cow shape – or release C shape by rounding spine back out and rounding out into its original form as C.
Repeat this sequence 5 to 10 times to achieve a full muscle stretch, and to increase difficulty try holding this position for several seconds or adding a pause at tighter parts of the stretch to release tension further. You can do this stretch daily but it’s especially helpful as a wake up stretch when getting out of bed early in the morning or after sitting for extended periods.
Exercise 4: Scaption Arm Support
The levator scapulae muscle is one of the key players in your neck and upper back. This thin muscle runs from your shoulders down towards your spine, connecting at its medial border (shoulder blade) as well as at C1-C4 transverse processes for attachment to other important muscles such as trapezius, latissimus dorsi, rhomboids pectoralis major/minor and trapezius to stabilize spine stability while rotating shoulder joint rotation and laterally flexing neck movement respectively.
Tight Levator Scapulae muscles can lead to shoulder and neck discomfort as well as poor posture resulting in headaches or other problems. Stretching exercises for this muscle are an important part of maintaining a healthy upper back.
Levator Scapulae pain can often be described as an intense, deep, ache or restriction in movement along the shoulderblade (scapula). This muscle can become inflamed due to improper posture, sleeping without adequate support or carrying heavy loads over one’s shoulders; repetitive movements in work environments as well as recreational activities such as baseball batting, rowing or swimming can aggravate its symptoms significantly.
Conducting some simple stretching and strengthening exercises at home may help mitigate against such issues. These can easily be completed while relaxing in comfort.
Keep your head in a neutral position when performing these exercises; otherwise, hunching over prevents you from reaping all the advantages offered by these stretches.
Begin by placing your left hand across the top of your head and holding it with your right arm, then tilt your head downward towards where your arm is held. Hold this position for 30 seconds before switching sides.
This exercise can be an excellent way to strengthen the levator scapulae. By building strength in this muscle and developing stability within your scapula as well as decreasing tension elsewhere, this workout will strengthen levator scapulae as well as other nearby muscles. Complete 5 repetitions each set.
