Slight tear of the upper trap

[#8]

This happens to me about 5-6 times a year and it happens doing a whole variety of different exercises. Everything from skull crushers, shrugs, bicep curls, and bench presses. Its a SEARING pain that occurs when I turn my head from side to side and usually gets worse within the first 2-3 days, then begins healing and takes about a week to fully subside. I exercise with fairly strict form and I can't really explain why this is happenning or why it happens so often. It always happens on the same side (right upper trap). Anyone else experience this? What causes this? Am I risking permanent damage?

[AlladdinSane]

Sounds like it was tear that gets nice and scarred up and the "recurring tear" that you're feeling is a little bit of that scar tissue giving way while exacerbating the original tear.

See a good chiro with mad ART skillz.

[ironwill]

you sure it isnt a bad spasm...I get them and so does CC, upper right trap for us as well, and goes to base of skull and back of shoulder blade....We work them out for each other...mostly for me its on military press, sometimes bench press, and skull crushers as well...It takes a few days to subside, then back like nothing ever happened, then a couple of months later bam, here it is again.....My weak point, i never have had any other discomforts or injuries other than this annoyance...knocking on wood..

[#8]

Will look into this ART stuff. thanks bro. i think i even have some stuff covered through my school insurance.

[#8]

you sure it isnt a bad spasm...I get them and so does CC, upper right trap for us as well, and goes to base of skull and back of shoulder blade....We work them out for each other...mostly for me its on military press, sometimes bench press, and skull crushers as well...It takes a few days to subside, then back like nothing ever happened, then a couple of months later bam, here it is again.....My weak point, i never have had any other discomforts or injuries other than this annoyance...knocking on wood..

i get muscle spasms as well, i know what those feel like and its definetely not that. but yes everything you are describing happens to me and ive done it doing all those exercises. most of the time (if im not wearing headphones) i can actually hear the noise it makes when i tear it, and i know im ****ed when i hear that. its a very short and distinct sound, ive done it so many times i just know when it happens. its the WORST though. i did it twice this month :(

[L3]

get a RMT do to some deep tissue massage, works wonders trust me... i have full ROM on my shoulder again after 1 session:)

[#8]

^^^ yes this is certainly worth looking into. will do this week.

[ironwill]

i get muscle spasms as well, i know what those feel like and its definetely not that. but yes everything you are describing happens to me and ive done it doing all those exercises. most of the time (if im not wearing headphones) i can actually hear the noise it makes when i tear it, and i know im ****ed when i hear that. its a very short and distinct sound, ive done it so many times i just know when it happens. its the WORST though. i did it twice this month :(
interesting, as i hear and feel it as well, like a snap of fingers in my traps kind of sound, as soon as it hits i know it, then a short whil later im buggered...Maybe i have a tear, but there is a distinct lump in the area that disappears with working it...I need an ART

[St]

Had the same problem last week had a massage(active release) now i feel way better.

[AlladdinSane]

interesting, as i hear and feel it as well, like a snap of fingers in my traps kind of sound, as soon as it hits i know it, then a short whil later im buggered...Maybe i have a tear, but there is a distinct lump in the area that disappears with working it...I need an ART

Yes you do.

Brad Kane @ Calgary Center for Health 403-270-7001

[#8]

interesting, as i hear and feel it as well, like a snap of fingers in my traps kind of sound, as soon as it hits i know it, then a short whil later im buggered...Maybe i have a tear, but there is a distinct lump in the area that disappears with working it...I need an ART

ya bro, same snapping noise here. im so glad other people experience this and im not dying. thanks IW

[O-Train]

Does it hurt more when you turn your head to the right side? Does it hurt when you tuck in your chin?

[#8]

Does it hurt more when you turn your head to the right side? Does it hurt when you tuck in your chin?

OMG yes! those are the ranges of motion that are severely limited when i injure myself. driving is brutal when doing shoulder checks. i have to turn my whole torso to look over and i end up swerving lol. people prolly think im drunk when im driving.

[ironwill]

OMG yes! those are the ranges of motion that are severely limited when i injure myself. driving is brutal when doing shoulder checks. i have to turn my whole torso to look over and i end up swerving lol. people prolly think im drunk when im driving. i will bet your problem is similar to mine, exact same feelings....its very noticeable by others....ive always assumed it was a spasm because it went away...
Whatcha think o hurley??

[#8]

o huuuuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrley.........

hello

[O-Train]

I really don't know what is happening with you guys. For me the first time I hurt my neck I didn't know what it was. It felt like someone stuck a knife through my chest and out the back. I couldn't figure out where the pain was coming from exactly. The second time it wasn't as bad and I knew what I had done right away. One of the athletic therapists diagnosed it as a strained cervical facet joint. Apparently it happens a lot in car accidents from whiplash but it can also happen when you overload the joint. Then to stabalize the spine all of the muscles that insert on the spine (trapezius being one) contract. If you really want to know what the problem is you will have to go and see a professional.

In general though, Ice for the first couple days or until you think any swelling has gone down. Then alternate hot and cold afterwards. I think it's something like 15 minutes on/off but I'd double check that. She also had me doing some stretches by laying down flat and slowly tucking my chin. If it is similar to my injury it will hurt a lot more when you lay down and your head is unsupported. Like trying to get into/out of bed. Not sure what is wrong though, this is just one possibilty.

This is a short blurb I found.

Cervical strain is produced by an overload injury to the muscle-tendon unit because of excessive forces on the cervical spine. The cause is thought to be the elongation and tearing of muscles or ligaments. Secondary edema, hemorrhage, and inflammation may occur.

An overload injury to the muscle-tendon unit produces cervical strain because of excessive forces on the cervical spine. This injury is accompanied by elongation and tearing of muscles or ligaments, secondary edema, hemorrhage, and inflammation. Many cervical muscles attach directly to bone (periosteum), and the muscle response to injury is contraction, with surrounding muscles recruited to splint the injured muscle.

[#8]

thanks bro. i can only give so much rep points lol. apparently i have to spread more around.

[AlladdinSane]

For applying ice: 20 min on followed by 40 min off (no heat).