Sometimes daily living is just a pain in the neck. Sometimes this pain in the neck can be related to your neck muscles due to poor posture, poor sleep habits, improper lifting technique or even "tech neck". One of the muscles which may be involved is the Levator Scapulae, which when tight, weak or in spasm may create pain at the base of your neck to the injured side. This muscle is involved with raising your shoulder blade and/or leaning your neck to the corresponding side. When injured, pain can run down to the bottom of your shoulder blade as well as out to the back of your shoulder and up the side of your neck.
How can I help?
Well, after an evaluation to determine if the Levator Scapulae is involved, several methods can be applied to relieve your pain. One is soft tissue mobilization which is a massage-like approach to reducing pain, tightness and spasm in that muscle. After a massaging to relieve the guarding, the therapist grasps the base of the head with one hand and depresses your shoulder blade with the other. If guarding is encountered (patient just can't relax) the therapist may ask you to shrug slightly into the hand, after which the muscle will relax and the therapist can continue with the stretch. The stretch will then be maintained until the muscle releases and relaxes. This will be followed by instruction in exercise , posture correction and perhaps modalities such as heat or electrical stimulation if needed. In many cases more than one muscle is involved and may need to be treated. Additionally, investigation into how you got this way and what needs to be done to prevent repeat flares needs to be addressed. Your home instruction is critical as it will address these problems.
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