About 2 and a half years ago, I tore my left side trap muscle somewhere near my shoulder blade during a lever military press exercise. For some reason, it just made a sound and then I felt nothing. I could finish off the set without any problems, but when I got off the machine, I was toast. I couldn't turn my head or anything. I gave it rest, and had physio therapy done to heal it. I basically haven't weight trained since the injury. I just started weight training again 2 months ago, and I was good until about now and after working on chest exercises yesterday, my upper trap is now hurting a lot. I don't think I tore anything, but its very sore and turning my head to the extreme left does hurt.
My questions are: what am I doing wrong? I don't see why chest or shoulder exercises should rely on the trap? or does it and therefore my trap is not strong enough to maintain body posture? or am I flexing the trap during my exercise when I shouldn't be?
Any help would be so appreciated as this pain has bugged me for a while.
Thanks in advance everyone!
Posted by: toughgainer
Have you gotten any help with this yet? I am experiencing the exact same injury in my left trap. I've been training consistently for about 1.5 years now, after a two year layoff. I started getting a little soreness in my left trap, and then about 4 weeks ago it really started hurting alot. I could still flat bench, but after the reps, trying to sit up was extreamly painful.
I've been laying off of it, but each time I try to restart the pain comes right back. Did physical therapy help? If it did, what did they do to you in P.T.?
Other than limiting my workouts, the only thing I have been doing is taking some Relafen (anti-inflammatory) and some ibuprofen. They don't seem to be helping much.
Please let me know if you hear anything more.
Anyone out there have any suggestions?
Posted by: ZAGLOBA
Any exercise above your head will work your traps.
Try doing shoulder presses making an X. Pressing a light db, from one side to the other, in the motion of an X.
Posted by: DrChiro
have you had this looked into....are you sure it is your trap....you mentioned you heard a sound, what type of sound did you hear and have you been evaluated for a disc problem in the lower cervical or upper thoracic area that my be compromising a nerve and leading to your weakness....granted, usually there is quite a bit of pain associated with this but it is worth looking into just to rule it out.
Posted by: a_dee
Just to keep you guys updated: I saw a massage therapist and he reported that what had occured was an ovulsion of the levator scapulae. The muscle that runs in tandem with the trap had ripped away from the top of my shoulder blade. This means that the trap was not damaged at all, but because the levator muscle runs close by, I had thought it was the trap. Unfortunately, the muscle cannot be re-attached and I just need to over develop the traps to compensate.