Upper Trapezius Strain

Ask a PT

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Posted - 04/26/2007 :  17:17:10  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Our user asked: "I believe that I have an upper trapezius strain and have not worked out since last Friday(4/20) to try and rest it. The pain of the injury doesn't seem to be improving too much and I was wondering how long an injury like this typically lasts? Also I was wondering if playing softball could do more damage to the injury? I have no pain while throwing or batting. I was doing some of the strengthening exercises you have posted on your website and noticed that doing the exercise in which I put pressure of the right side of my head and try to resist with my neck gives me the most pain. I have been doing some stretching and using a heat pack is there anything else that you would suggest?"

Ask a PT Response: "It is important to prevent further injury by resting initially. However, the underlying cause of the injury needs to be determined. Without having physically examined you and not knowing how you were injured, I can not determine if you have an upper trapezius strain. From my experiences working with past patients, the amount of time to recover from any kind of strain can be anywhere from 2-4 wks if your body is able to recover on its own. When your body is unable to recover on its own or if there are other underlying factors involved, then that is when physical therapy may be required to further assist the healing process and achieve more maximal outcomes. Activities such as softball could lead to further irritation of a neck/shoulder injury and is not recommended if your condition is worsened by it. Strengthening of the cervical musculature is typical in a treatment plan for a cervical strain but minimal pain should be experienced. It is often advised to utilize less pressure or resistance when performing an exercise if symptoms increase. If a condition continues to be be exacerbated despite utilizing less pressure or resistance, then the exercise is typically stopped and not recommended. For a strain, physical therapists could also perform some type of manual therapy such as soft tisue mobilization or massage to help decrease tissue irritability and promote tissue pliability. Modalities such as heat, ice or ultrasound could be utilized as well. If you continue to experience symptoms I would recommend you consult with a physical therapist to help determine if you truly have an upper trapezius strain and to see if there are other underlying factors involved. I hope things improve for you and thanks for using CyberPT."