Levator Scapulae Muscle Stretch Exercises
Are you feeling tightness in the back of your neck while talking on the phone? Do you tend to lift your shoulder and tilting your head while holding the phone up at the office? Are you unable to turn your head without pain? The neck muscle that may be causing pain is the levator scapula. To undo the neck stress and tension build up, perform the levator scapula stretch exercises.
The levator scapula attaches to the first four cervical vertebrae of the spine and attaches to the top corner of the scapula. The motions that the levator scapulae are responsible for are shoulder elevation (combined with the upper trapezius muscle) and inward rotation of the scapula. The attachment on the neck also causes neck rotation when the scapula is not moving.
When doing the levator scapula stretch exercises combined with neck exercises such as shoulder shrugs and sitting head rotations will relieve neck tension. By relieving the neck tightness or neck stiffness, this will keep your neck flexible and mobile. The levator scapula stretch exercises will be described in a sitting position.
Sitting Position:
• Feet flat on the floor
• Relax your shoulders
• Bring your chin back towards your shoulders like a chin tuck
• Eyes looking straight ahead
Levator Scapulae Stretch Exercises: (Left side)
• Take a breath in
• Raise your right arm up and place your right palm on your right shoulder blade
• Turn your chin towards your left hip
• Raise your left arm up and place your left palm on the top of your head
• Gently guide your left hand to bring your chin down towards your left underarm
• Breathe out
• Hold the position for 30 seconds and repeat 3 times
• You should feel a stretch in the back of the neck
• Reverse directions for stretching the right side
When doing these levator stretch exercises, be sure to remember to breathe. If you begin to get dizzy, try just turning your head a little bit less when you bring your head down. You also want to make sure your shoulders are down and relaxed. By performing these levator scapula stretch exercises, your neck should be more flexible and pain free.
Other stretch exercises from the blog:
neck muscles most responsible for your stiff neck and trigger … – levator scapulae that dreaded stiff neck is most often caused by a neck muscle called the levator scapulae. this muscle attaches to the sides of the 1st 4 cervical vertebrae (c1, c2, c3, and c4) or transverse processes and connects to …
