Trapezius Muscle

What is the trapezius muscle?

The trapezius is a large muscle in your back. People commonly refer to trapezius muscles as traps or trap muscles.

Like the rest of your back muscles, your traps are skeletal (superficial) muscles and are part of your musculoskeletal system.

Your trapezius muscles are big, and you use them a lot throughout your day. It’s less common to injure them than other muscles, but it’s possible. Visit a healthcare provider if you’re experiencing pain in your back, neck or the back of your head that lasts for more than a week.

What does the trapezius muscle do?

Like the rest of your back muscles, your trapezius muscles support your body and help you move. Your traps help you do many motions, including:

• Tilting your head up and down
• Turning your head to either side.
• Maintaining and adjusting your posture (including standing up straight or bending your upper back forward).
• Twisting your torso.
• Shrugging your shoulders or pulling them back.
• Moving your shoulder when you lift your arm or throw something — your trapezius pushes on your shoulder blade (scapula) to help make this happen.

You use your trapezius muscles almost constantly throughout your day. But you may never purposefully think about them. Lots of these motions and movements are small tweaks to how you’re holding your head, neck, back and shoulders. You might only focus on your traps when you’re working out, or after reading the previous sentences about how they help you change your posture while you wiggle in your seat.

Where is the trapezius muscle located?

You have one trapezius muscle on either side of your upper back. They start at the base of your neck and extend across your shoulders and down to the middle of your back.

Trapezius muscles get their name from their shape. If you look at them together, they form a trapezoid (a shape with four sides, two of which are parallel). They’re shaped a bit like a kite.

What are the three parts of the trapezius muscle?

Each trapezius muscle has three sections:

• The upper (superior) section.
• The middle section.
• The lower (inferior) section.

Your traps connect to your skull, spine, ribs and bones in your shoulders. The upper section connects to your skull and neck (cervical spine).

The middle and lower sections attach to bones in your thoracic spine. They’re also connected to the back (lateral) sides of your shoulder blade (scapula) and collarbone (clavicle).

Cranial nerve XI (the spinal accessory nerve) lets your trapezius muscles move. They get their sense of feeling from the C3 and C4 cervical nerves in your neck.

Why does my trapezius muscle hurt?

Your trapezius muscles can feel a few types of pain if they’re injured or irritated, including:

• Upper back pain.
• Neck pain.
• Headaches.
• Muscle spasms or cramps.
• Pain between your shoulder blades.

Other symptoms of trapezius injuries or issues can include:

• Limited mobility, or a decreased range of motion or muscle weakness (you may not be able to shrug your shoulders or raise your arm).
• Neck and shoulder stiffness.
• Swelling, bruising or tenderness in your shoulders, neck or back.

Some of the most common issues and injuries that can cause trap muscle pain include:

• Stress: Being stressed can make you squeeze your muscles without knowing it (unconsciously). Your shoulders, upper back and neck are especially susceptible to this kind of scrunching and tension. These are places where people tend to “carry” stress. This means you’re more likely to feel the effects of being stressed out here.
• Muscle strains: Strains are one of the most common muscle injuries. They’re less common in trap muscles than in other areas of your body, but they can still happen. Strains are usually a sports injury or a repetitive strain injury.
• Posture issues: There’s no such thing as having perfect posture. But slouching forward a lot at a desk, driving or just sitting on the couch can put extra tension on your traps and other upper back muscles. Slouching or slumping pulls these muscles out of their usual alignment.
• Nerve damage: If something damages or injures the nerves connected to your trapezius muscles, the damaged nerves can send pain signals that spread (radiate) into your traps, neck, shoulders and head.

How can I keep my trapezius healthy?

To keep your muscles strong, you should focus on staying healthy overall. To avoid problems with your trapezius, you should:

• Exercise and stay flexible: Many different shoulder stretches and traps exercises can improve your range of motion, strengthen muscles or relax tight muscles. Yoga, Pilates and other gentle exercises can help keep muscles strong and flexible. When you’re exercising, don’t overdo it. Stop if you feel pain.
• Maintain a healthy weight: Carrying extra pounds increases your risk of muscle strain. Talk to a healthcare provider about the most appropriate weight for your body and lifestyle.
• Warm up before you exercise: Take time to stretch and warm up properly before you exercise. You’re less likely to injure warm, flexible muscles.