The World Upon Your Shoulders - The Effect of Stress on Your Traps
In the news today we often here a lot about mental health and how stress is playing such a big part of our life. However, it is often treated as a separate entity to ‘physical’ health.
In fact, we often hear about ‘health’ and ‘mental health’ which can make it seem like a separate entity.
Whilst there is a lot of new research on the effect of stress on our physical health, as this is Tight Muscle Tuesday, we’ll look at how it affects our tight muscles – one type in particular.
Stress and Your Traps
The phrase world upon your shoulders reflects how a lot of us feel. But why is this?
When we are stressed, we can tend to tense the muscles in our shoulders. Often this results in us holding our shoulders is a partially ‘shrugged’ position.[i]
This position activates our trapezius muscles, aka ‘traps’ and can leave them chronically tight. Day after day, ours adapt and the traps can become shorter and shorter.[ii]
This position can be so much of a habit that we might not even no we are doing it!
Try this.
Pull your shoulders up toward your ears like you are shrugging you shoulders and squeeze the muscles between you neck and shoulders as tight as you can.
You may notice the tension build up in the top of your shoulders.
Hold this for 10-15 seconds.
Now let go and let the shoulders drop down toward your feet.
Do you notice a difference?
Chances are your shoulders will now be more relaxed than they were and you have been tensing your traps without really noticing.
If it sounds like stress is causing your traps to be tight, short and sore, what can you do about it?
Here are some mobility exercises, self-massage techniques and yoga poses which can help.
Mobility
To keep good posture and avoid back pain, it is important to strengthen the trapezius.
Shoulder blade squeeze
Stand up straight.
Slowly squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold for 3 seconds.
Slowly release.
Repeat 20 times.
https://www.healthline.com/health/no-weights-needed-4-trapezius-exercises#shoulder-blade-squeeze
Shoulder shrug
Stand up straight.
Raise your shoulders to your ears as high you can.
Hold for 2 seconds.
Relax them toward the ground.
Repeat 20 times
https://www.healthline.com/health/no-weights-needed-4-trapezius-exercises#shrug
Shoulder Roll
Stand up straight
Roll your shoulders in a backward circular motion for 5 rotations
Then do 5 rotations forward
https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/upper-back-pain-exercises#10-stretches
Self-Myofascial Release (SMFR) / Self-Massage
Upper trapezius trigger point
Lie on your back
Place your trigger ball under the sore point (the video uses a Pocket Physio but you can use a spikey ball, or tennis ball/lacrosse ball or something similar.
Lay into the ball.
https://www.pogophysio.com.au/blog/upper-trapezius-traps-exercise-video/
Upper back roll
Lie on a foam roller in your mid-back.
Hug your arms across your chest
Lift hip off the mat (to a pressure of your choosing)
Roll back and forth (no further down than your bottom ribs, not further up that your shoulders
http://www.kinfolkwellness.com.au/blog/2016/7/24/improve-thoracic-flexibilty
Yoga
Ear to shoulder
Start standing or sitting
Slowly take your ear toward your shoulder. If you shoulder lifts, then ease back
Lift your same side hand and place it on your head. Rest your hand for slightly more pressure. Do NOT pull.
Hold for about 30 seconds.
Release
Repeat on the otherside.
https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/trapezius-stretches#ear-to-shoulder
Cat-Cow pose
Start on all fours (table top position). Hips over knees. Shoulders of elbows.
Inhale. Starting from the pelvis. Tilt the tailbone up. Let you stomach sink. Pull your chest forward. Lift your head.
Exhale. Tilt tailbone down. Draw your belly button to your spine. Round the spine. Chin to chest.
Repeat as you breathe.
Conclusion
When we are stressed, we can tend to tense the muscles in our shoulders. Often this results in us holding our shoulders is a partially ‘shrugged’ position. This position activates our trapezius muscles, aka ‘traps’ and can leave them chronically tight. Day after day, ours adapt and the traps can become shorter and shorter. This can result in tightness, pain and even headaches. Try these mobility exercises, self-massage techniques and yoga p
oses to help lengthen a loosen these stressed-out muscles.
You can also get your FREE 2 week Recharge trial and we’ll go through these techniques with you.
The EVERYDAY can lead tight traps
Come to Recharge and Move BEYOND the EVERYDAY.
[i] https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324251
[ii] https://www.nytimes.com/1986/09/28/magazine/relieving-stress-mind-over-muscle.html