Muscle guide · Back
Also called traps
The trapezius is the large, flat, diamond-shaped muscle covering the back of the neck, the tops of the shoulders and the upper back. It runs from the base of the skull and the spine down to the bottom of the rib cage, and out to the collarbone and shoulder blade.
Its three parts pull in different directions: the upper fibres shrug, the middle fibres squeeze the shoulder blades together, and the lower fibres draw them down, while the upper and lower fibres together turn the shoulder blade so your arm can reach overhead.
| Part | Starts at | Attaches to | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper fibres | Base of the skull and the ligament down the back of the neck | Outer third of the collarbone | Lift and upwardly rotate the shoulder blade; tilt the head back |
| Middle fibres | Spine at the base of the neck and upper back | Shoulder tip and ridge of the shoulder blade | Squeeze the shoulder blades together |
| Lower fibres | Spine of the mid and lower back, down to T12 | Inner end of the shoulder blade ridge | Draw the shoulder blade down and help rotate it upward |
The one-arm shrug worked the upper fibres most; prone raises with the thumb out worked the middle fibres; the prone overhead 'Y' raise worked the lower fibres most. Side-lying external rotation and prone horizontal raises favoured the middle and lower fibres over the upper.
3D demoDumbbell ShrugBeginner · A dumbbell
3D demoProne Y-T-W raisesBeginner · No equipment
3D demoIncline reverse fly with external rotationIntermediate · A dumbbell + A bench or box
3D demoFace pullIntermediate · A band
3D demoBand pull-apartIntermediate · A band
3D demoDumbbell lateral raiseBeginner · A dumbbell
3D demoSeated cable rowBeginner · A cable machineTilt the head away with the shoulder held down to stretch the upper fibres.
In a trial of women with painful upper traps from repetitive jobs, 10 weeks of specific strength training for the neck and shoulder muscles cut their worst pain by about 79%; leg cycling helped only briefly. In chronic neck pain, strength training beat stretching plus aerobic exercise.
Damage to its nerve, for example in neck surgery, weakens and wastes the trapezius, so the shoulder droops and the shoulder blade wings outward.
Each grade rates the evidence for the correction.
Shrugs work the upper fibres hardest. The middle and lower fibres need prone raises and horizontal pulls.
Specific strength training markedly reduced trapezius muscle pain in a randomised trial, and in chronic neck pain strengthening did much better than stretching and aerobic exercise alone.
A 10-minute routine for a stiff upper back and rounded shoulders: chin tucks, wall angels, Y-T-W raises and open books.
10 minBeginner7 movesA foam roller, A wallEight gentle neck and shoulder stretches for desk stiffness, done standing or seated in ten minutes.
10 minBeginner8 movesA wallA gym back workout: lat pulldowns, cable rows, dumbbell rows, face pulls, back extensions and shrugs.
45 minBeginner8 movesPull-up bar, A bandIts upper fibres shrug the shoulders, its middle fibres squeeze the shoulder blades together, and its lower fibres draw them down; upper and lower together turn the shoulder blade so the arm can go overhead.
The prone overhead 'Y' raise produced the most lower-trapezius activity in an EMG study of ten exercises.
Specific neck and shoulder strengthening cut trapezius muscle pain by about 79% in a 10-week trial, more than general exercise.
Anatomy and movement education, not a diagnosis or treatment plan. If you have pain that follows an injury, is severe or getting worse, or comes with numbness, weakness or swelling, get it assessed. Health disclaimer.
