One of the best ways to stretch the levator scapula neck muscles is so simple it's almost silly, but it feels so good that you'll find yourself using this stretch multiple times throughout the day. Stand or sit with your spine tall and tailbone...
Levator scapulae weakness can limit your ability to perform common daily activities, such as shrugging your shoulders or carrying heavy items. Strengthening exercises for the levator scapulae might help improve your posture and relieve pain...
Stretching your muscles is a good idea any time, but if you have sore, tense or tight muscles in the neck and shoulders, it is important to gradually stretch the muscles to reduce pain and stiffness, restore range of motion, stability and...
Your levator scapulae are muscles that are located between your neck and shoulder on either side of your body. The muscles are attached to your first four cervical vertebrae and the top of your scapula or shoulder blade. The levator scapulae...
The levator scapulae muscle lies within your upper back on either side of your spine, attaching to the top three or four cervical vertebrae on one end and to the top, inside part of the scapula bone on the other. The muscle acts to elevate your...
The neck can suffer a variety of ailments, including muscle strains, joint strains, fractures, nerve damage and arthritis. Neck extension exercises help to strength your neck and counteract the pain felt from everyday use. There are eight muscles...
While lat pulldown and rowing machines are an effective way to strengthen your back, they are bulky, expensive and unnecessary. You can get a toned, powerful back by using simple, inexpensive hand weights to perform standing back exercises. For...
Waking up with a stiff neck affects your entire day. According to Spine-Health.com, the most common causes for a stiff neck are muscle strain or muscle sprain, especially of the levator scapula muscle, located on the back and side of your neck....
The shoulder joint of the human body allows for movement of the arm, back and chest. Composed of two sets of muscles that sit on the front and back of the body, the pectoral girdle affixes the arm to the rest of your body. Keeping these muscles...
The largest muscle of your neck is your trapezius muscle; it raises your shoulders and extends your head. Underneath your trapezius lie three capitis muscles. They extend, bend and rotate your head. The primary neck flexor muscle is your...
The muscles and tissues of the neck include structures such as the sternocleidomastoid and levator scapula as well as the tendons, muscle sheaths and fascia that support the cervical vertebrae. While these tissues are strong enough to support the...
The trapezius, or traps as they are commonly known, can be divided into three parts: the upper, middle and lower trapezius. The middle and lower traps form part of the upper back. The levator scapulae, which runs alongside the neck on either side...
Stress, computers, driving and the modern lifestyle in general wreak havoc on the delicate neck muscles. It is important to stretch tight neck muscles and strengthen supporting muscles to help alleviate neck pain. It is important to check with...
A pulled neck muscle is a painful condition that affects even the simplest of activities. It is a common injury that affects people of any age, race and sex. Often pulled neck muscles are diagnosed without a consultation with a physician, but...
Baby slings are a popular way for new mothers and fathers to carry their baby. Based on traditional methods of carrying babies used by cultures around the world, different types of slings have been created to allow for carrying the baby in a range...
The deadlift and bent over row are two resistance exercises that work the muscles of the back. A beginner may want to work up to these exercises, or recruit a health professional such as a personal trainer or physiologist to assure they are doing...
Symptoms of a stiff neck include soreness, pain and difficulty turning your head. You may also experience headaches and shoulder or arm pain in conjunction with a stiff neck. In most cases, a stiff neck results from muscle strain and goes away in...
The shoulder shrug is an exercise to work the shoulders, neck and upper back. It can be adapted to suit any level and can even be used during shoulder rehabilitation. Like any other resistance training exercise, take care in planning an...
Dips can be a difficult strength-training exercise because they require you to lift your own body weight. Those who lack the strength to perform traditional dips can, however, make certain modifications. Most of the major muscles are involved when...
Your upper-arm muscles may be divided into those of the pectoral girdle, or shoulder, the arm, the forearm and the hand. The triceps muscle is found in the arm and, while it is the major muscle involved in forearm extension, it is not involved in...
Dips develop a group of your upper body muscles. To complete dips, stand in between a set of dip bars and grip each bar with your hands. Keep your hips straight as you pick your body up by extending your arms to get to the starting position. Lower...
The barbell shrug is an upper body exercise that offers a big return on the time invested even though there is little movement. To perform this exercise, you hold a weighted bar in front of your thighs and simply shrug your shoulders in the air....
Good cervical range of motion is crucial to performing all of the activities in our daily lives. By taking steps to increase the health of your cervical muscles, you can decrease the likelihood of difficulties later. The cervical spine is...
There are 206 bones and approximately 500 muscles in the human body. Most of these are skeletal muscles, which attach from one bone to another bone. One end of the muscle, the origin, attaches to a more stationary bone, while the other end, the...
A stiff neck is a common type of musculoskeletal health problem. The Spine Health website states that a stiff neck may occur in combination with headache, shoulder or arm pain and reduced active range of motion in the cervical spine. Symptoms...
Upper right back pain can stem from many causes. According to the Spine Health website, upper back pain, including upper right back pain, can be caused by trauma or sudden injury, or it can be caused by excessive strain or poor posture over time....
Patellofemoral pain syndrome, or runner's knee, is a common knee problem with symptoms including pain around and under the patella, which is the knee cap. Although not all experts agree on the exact course of treatment, exercises to strengthen the...
Use your Bowflex machine to work all your major muscles from head to toe. The neck muscles targeted by a Bowflex include the upper trapezius and levator scapulae. The upper traps run from the outside of the back of your shoulders up the rear of...
Upper back exercises generally target the levator scapulae, rhomboids and trapezius muscles, which act on the scapula bones on either side of your spine. You can use dumbbells to provide resistance as you move your scapula bones through various...
Learn about different trigger points for massage in this free video clip on holistic medicine and chiropractics.
