He a l t h & F i t n e s s The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body
Did You Know Weak Shoulders Can Cause Headaches?
Are Your Shoulders Strong Enough?
Have you ever felt a pounding headache start to come on, especially later in the day? This is a sign of muscle spasms in the neck and scalp as a result of abnormal stress and strain. Believe it or not, this is actually caused by poor shoulder and upper back strength. Your trapezius muscles form a large triangle that start from the base of your skull, connecting all along the spine from the upper neck down to your mid back. They extend out to the tip of your shoulder blades, forming the triangle. The trapezius muscles are split up into three groups, the upper, middle and lower trapezius. We commonly notice the upper trapezius muscle getting tight and sore. Poor posture is to blame With forward slouching posture during sitting and standing, themiddle and lower trapeziusmuscles become chronically stretched out. This results in weakness and an inability to correctly support your posture. Throughout the day as you use your head, neck and shoulders, the upper trapezius and other neck muscles become overused. This can then cause spasms of the arteries in the upper neck and scalp (vasospasms), which is one of the main symptoms of a headache. Over time this unfortunate cycle of poor posture, weakness, spasms and headaches can lead to long- term changes in the neck structures, even early arthritis. However, improving the cervical (neck) and upper back motions can easily be accomplished with the right physical therapy. Furthermore, our physical therapists can quickly pinpoint the specific muscle groups to target to restore normal posture and function. The result is long-lasting headache relief, where you can finally stop taking the Advil or Tylenol. Call us today to discover how we can help your neck move freely and get rid of those headaches for good!
www.northeastspineandsports.com
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