The trapezius is a large muscle in your upper back, running along either side of your spine. Stretching the trapezius requires lengthening its muscle fibers, which can optimize your flexibility if done correctly, resulting in enhanced movement performance and potentially reducing your risk for injuries. Consult an exercise professional to develop a comprehensive flexibility program that suits your lifestyle.
Anatomy and Biomechanics
The trapezius consists of upper, middle and lower fibers, with each section facilitating different ranges of motion. The upper muscle fibers help elevate the scapula bones and move your head backward and from side to side; the middle fibers help elevate and retract, or pull back, the scapula bones; and the lower fibers help depress and retract the scapula bones. Stretching the trapezius involves moving your neck and scapula bones through the opposite ranges of motion.
Upper-Fiber Stretches
Two similar stretches target the upper fibers of the trapezius. Cross your left forearm across your lower back and pull on your wrist with your right hand to perform the first, then tilt your head to the right, moving your right ear toward your shoulder. For the second stretch, move your chin toward the left side of your chest, then cross your left hand over your head and pull it farther in the same direction. Repeat both stretches on the opposite side.
Middle-Fiber Stretches
The fixed-bar stretch and the middle deltoid stretch target the middle fibers of the trapezius muscles by pulling your scapula bones forward. Stand close to a sturdy, chest-high bar and grasp it with your hands close together for the first exercise, then fall backward, leaving your feet in place and keeping your torso vertical, until your arms are fully extended. To perform the second stretch, sit or stand and press one arm at a time horizontally into your chest with your opposite arm.
Lower-Fiber Stretches
Since they assist with scapular retraction, both of the middle-fiber stretches also lengthen the lower fibers of the trapezius. Additionally, simply hanging from a bar elevates the scapula bones and consequently stretches the lower fibers.
Recommendations
Choose one stretch each for the upper, middle and lower muscle fibers of the trapezius and perform them daily to optimize your flexibility. Stretch the muscle slowly until you feel gentle tension, and then hold for 10 to 30 seconds. Lengthen the muscle slightly farther with each breath as you hold each stretch, but avoid overstretching to prevent an injury. Consult your doctor if any stretch causes pain.
References
- ExRx: Exercise and Muscle Directory
- "NSCA's Essentials of Personal Training"; Roger Earle and Thomas Baechle; 2004
- "U.S. News & World Report"; Flexibility: Eight Stretches That Will Stretch Your Workout Routine; April 2009
- "Relax Into Stretch"; Pavel Tsatsouline; 2001
