Levator scapulae muscle Puns

Hello massage friends! I've been having pretty regular levator scapulae pain and I'm working on correcting my posture. Is this pain typically the result of the levator scapulae muscles being weak and I should try to strengthen them, or is it that they are overworked and I need to focus on strengthening other muscles? Thanks for any advice!

My levator scapulae is always tight on my left side... Do I need to stretch or strengthen it? What stretches/ strengthening exercises can I do for it?

Things I'm doing:

Sleeping on my back firm mattress, with a thin pillow, everyday I do chin tucks, wall slides, and my usual lifting routine. Posture has improved, but it feels like my progress resets after going to sleep.

When I wake up, I'll do this stretch, and it feels insanely tight, radiating all the way from my upper back to my hips.

https://www.posturedirect.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/upper-erector-spinae-stretch-in-sitting.jpg

Any idea what could be causing this?

Do I need a thicker pillow? could it be weak abs? Thoracic mobility?

Long story short I fixed my FHP, visually at least, but now instead of waking up with severe neck pain, I wake up with very tight levator scapulae and slight neck pain.

Could having a pillow that is too low/high cause this? I only use one thin pillow, I’ve tried using no pillow but that causes me neck pain. (Back sleeper)

Or are there further imbalances that I might have to continue to correct?

i have nTOS, if that helps

For the past few years I have been struggling with upper back and neck issues and even frequent migraines due to what I believe to be muscle tightness. I have found that using the corner of a wall to be a handy way to try and eliminate what feels like knots around the scapula area. I was wondering if anyone knows how long these muscles take to recover and any tips to aid in recovery.

I know this is very specific. Has anyone had experience with utilizing BPC 157 to alleviate levator scapulae syndrome?

Or, does anyone have insight on whether BPC would work for this issue?

Kong story short, I have been suffering from intense trapezius pain to the point where I have been working with various massage therapists for many years on an almost weekly basis. They apply incredibly deep pressure, using their elbows and knuckles and bearing down all of their weight on me (and FYI, I'm 5'4" and 96lbs, very small frame, but otherwise very healthy) and I cannot feel anything. I mean, I can feel the pressure and their touch, but their immense amount of pressure feels numb to me and doesn't hurt at all. I want to see if this is a neurological issue and if neurologists can help with this. Or if anyone here has any suggestions, recommendations, or personal stories? Anything would be helpful. Thank you in advance!

Over the past few months there's been pain experienced when looking far left, only when reaching the end of the turning point. Pain similar to that of a pulled muscle around the levator scapulae area. Causation may have been strain during weighted exercise. Over time the radius to which can be turned increases with no pain but seems to plateau and not get any better. Massage therapy seemed to make matters worse. Sleeping can sometimes make it worse. All for relatively short amounts of time. It's not debilitating too much due to the fact it can be turned most of the way without pain. But looking over the left shoulder is quite painful.
 

Curious to what may be caused or what can help get past the plateau. Sadly I have no access to Physiotherapists as there are none here in Da Nang, Vietnam. Believe me, if there was one I would be there regularly.
 

Perhaps recommend some service where I can find some guidance.
 

Kind regards,

Hi r/massage, I'm kind of new here. I just made a video about self-care for stiff neck that includes a bit of anatomy and technique. I thought some of our newer MTs out there might be able to adapt this for practice. I'd love to have a discussion about working with levator in the comments! I would also love more upper body mass.

I hope this is on-topic here; at least my impression is that here are people knowledgeable. Carrying a backpack leads to pain in the levator scapulae. Massages (and to some degree stretching) helps alleviate it, but I'd prefer to not have it in the first place. Google suggests it seems to be a common thing, but I did not find anything to prevent it. Is there anything I could look for posture-wise or maybe some exercise, so I can carry backpacks without pain?

Has anyone hurt or strained their levator scapulae while training? If so, how long did you take off and what did you do to speed up recovery?

I had been seeing a pain doctor and a massage therapist for myofascial release and very deep tissue/trigger point/sports massages for several years.

I have very severe scapular winging, cervical straightening (kyphosis), and chronic pain in my rhomboids/trapezius (24/7 overstretched) and some minor tightness in my pectorals.

I have been going to specialists to release and relieve the pain, even for 1-2 days of relief, but after much research and trying everything I could to figure out what would work for me, I think I did it.

• Start with lots of shoulder straightening exercises: Shoulder strengthening/pectoral stretching

• More shoulder strengthening/pectoral stretching with a focus on the upper traps: Click here

• Lots of pectoral stretching all throughout the day whenever I get a chance Click here

Now here's the pain relieving part

• Press painful trigger points of trapezius and rhomboids against a very first corner, or you can use a lacrosse ball, but my pain is so deep that I prefer using a firm and solid wall, or even better, the firm corner against my sofa! People also suggest that tools like the Backnobber work as well. Example image here

• More examples here: Example 1 Example 2 Example 3

*I do that last trigger point technique for almost an hour. It is very painful if you've never done it before. Do it until you can really feel your muscles "pop" and you can move it around actively while you are holding it against the proper position on the wall, corner, or using the tool. Move your arm up and down, side to side, corner to corner; this is a form of Active Release Technique you are using that adds further to releasing those chronically bothersome spots Youtube link

• Once you're feeling really bruised, and almost beate

I've got a bit of tightness on the left side of my neck, I think it's probably the left levator scapulae.

Would it be safe to do headstand push-ups or should I replace it with something like stretches?

I've had hypertonic PFD for 10 years, dealing with varying degrees of severity. My current main problem is having incomplete BMs which result in a combination of pain, constipation, bloating, hemorrhoids, flareups, reflux and/or nausea. My colorectal doctor suggested I get Botox injections into my Levator Ani muscles, specifically the ones that are constricting my rectum. I'm not a fan of needles, toxic substances being put into me, or the possible side effects that I'm imagining. My doctor says he's seen success in his patients and claims that I shouldn't have any unwanted side effects like incontinence, immobility, or pain. The idea is that the stunned, relaxed muscles will allow me to have (close to) normal BMs thus keeping the surrounding muscles that usually get tight while I'm straining to also relax.

So, as is written in the title, has anyone in here had experience with this procedure?

I did the exercise as mentioned here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCPp1DUypo0 (5:15). I feel a strong tingling all along my arm, and when tensing into a fist. I can't control movement fully when doing a bicep curl movement, the last portion the arm just automatically lowers. I did feel the stretch in the levator but also along my arm. Not sure what is going on here. This only occurs on my right side (the side which needs this stretch in the first place).

I know shoulder labrum questions have been posted before, but I am specifically looking for anecdotes from someone who was diagnosed with a labrum or infraspinatus tear and had accompanying aching trapezius or levatator scapulae pain and what you did about it.

I injured my shoulder Feb 2017 swimming collegiately; I shrugged the pain off until finally senior year (2020) it was pretty much unbearable. Fall of 2020, I finally go in for 4 months of PT after seeing a good sports medicine doc. PT showed promise, I was able to strengthen my shoulder and back, but my nagging upper trapezius and levatator scapulae pain would NOT go away. Any kind of shrugging or shoulder activity above my waist immediately aggravates it. I had an injection into the back of my shoulder joint two weeks ago; it hasn't really helped the pain, especially not my upper trap.

Talked to sports med surgeon again and looking at surgery as a last resort. I am getting a second opinion from a different surgeon this coming week. The thing is, I really do not have much shoulder pain, all of the unbearable pain stems from my upper trap.

Anyone with this experience?

'Levator labii superioris' does mewing help with reduction of this muscle? I've seen my maxilla grow but due to big Levator labii superioris muscle my cheeks still look puffy , if anyone can help how can i tackle this.

I’ve been dealing with pelvic pain for 4 years now and my doctor’s next idea is to do injections of lidocaine and steroids into the levator ani muscles. Has anyone else done this? How did it help you or did it make things worse? I’m incredibly nervous because those muscles are so tight and tense 24/7 that I am scared that it’s going to cause even more pain than I already deal with.

All I know is its a major source of my pain.

Hi All,

Four the last four or so years, whenever I play soccer or sport and gets up to high heart right(above 170), the traps or levators on my right side feel like they are cramping(right side only). My GP has done EKG(because of this) and that is fine, my blood pressure is always near 120/65. It goes away when I drop to about 140 or so and sometimes doesn't come back when I get back up to 170 (Almost guaranteed once I go back above 180). I never feel out of breath, tired or anything else and feel like it is out of place to be sore there while the rest of my body feels like it can keep pushing. Wondering if anyone has seen this before. I know we get slower with age, but about 7-8 years(10KG) ago it was no problem to rev near/above 210bpm while playing sport.

Always been very active in sports at least one good session a week playing something just finding this weird.

Age: 40

• Sex: M
• Height: 170cm
• Weight:85KG
• Portuguese/Irish/Mexican Mix
• Duration of complaint: Last four or five years
• Location (Geographic and on body): Trapezius, levators
• Any existing relevant medical issues (if any) : No
• Current medications (if any): Not that I know of

Decently experienced weightlifter, never really had issues with anything until recently, curious if perhaps this is caused by a muscle imbalance or something else.

Things I'm doing:

Sleeping on my back firm mattress, with a thin pillow, everyday I do chin tucks, wall slides, and my usual lifting routine. Posture has improved, but it feels like my progress resets after going to sleep.

When I wake up, I'll do this stretch, and it feels insanely tight, radiating all the way from my upper back to my hips.

https://www.posturedirect.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/upper-erector-spinae-stretch-in-sitting.jpg

Any thoughts on what could be causing this?

Could it be thoracic mobility? Weak abs?