I'm so frustrated!! I've had neck (trap)and upper back pain for almost a year now. It would come and go. Now it is "going" almost constantly. I went the medical route first....muscle relaxers, anti-inflammatory drugs and rest....for about 2 weeks. It helped temporarily. (I HATE taking muscle relaxers....they make me feel tired and lazy!)The minute I stopped taking them and tried to swim, it came back.
I went to a chiropractor. He did X-rays and said my neck was straight. It is supposed to have a slight backward curve...sort of a natural "shock absorber" for your spine. He also said my neck (cervical spine) is shifted big time to the left.....explains why it hurts on the right! :doh: He said my trap muscles have been doing all the "shock absorbing" and had many knots in them on both sides. He also said my pec muscles were too tight and pulling my traps I've been going THREE times a week to get adjusted by the chiropractor. I've been stretching, icing and not swimming. The only thing that has helped is massage...and that's not in my budget! It doesn't seem to be getting better.:shakeshead: :cry: I finally went "swimming" Thursday to try to stretch it out. The doctor said it was ok as long as I didn't push it! I thought I would just kick a lot. I did try to swim some EASY strokes. It tightend up real fast! I ended up kicking on my back and doing a lot of vertical kicking in deep water. Any advice?
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Former Member
Beth
I feel your pain! I too had problems for over a year with pain in my neck and upper back (traps). Here are some of the things that have helped me.
1) Find a copy of Kit Laughlin's book " Overcome Neck and Back Pain". There are some great stretches that you have probably never seen before. Amazon has the book on sale for $12 plus shipping.
www.amazon.com/.../104-4234458-4835122
2) I think stretching your pec muscles is a good idea. I do the one where you stand in a doorway with your forearm vertical against the door frame and arm at a 90 degree angle. Leg on same side foreword, then rotate your upper body to the opposite side. Hold for 30 seconds.
3) Strengthen your lower trap and rhomboid muscles. I use a ther band. Hold the band in front of your body with arms to the side upright at a 90 degree angle. Pinch you shoulder blades together while holding the band. Do around 25 reps. Do this ever other day.
The knots or trigger points in your muscle can be massaged out by pressing firmly with the tips of your fingers and massaging in a counter clockwise direction. Biofreeze is a wonderful product to use while you self massage.
Good luck, I wish you luck. Again, for $12 I think you will find Kit Laughlin's books in valueable. :wiggle::wiggle:
Beth
I feel your pain! I too had problems for over a year with pain in my neck and upper back (traps). Here are some of the things that have helped me.
1) Find a copy of Kit Laughlin's book " Overcome Neck and Back Pain". There are some great stretches that you have probably never seen before. Amazon has the book on sale for $12 plus shipping.
www.amazon.com/.../104-4234458-4835122
2) I think stretching your pec muscles is a good idea. I do the one where you stand in a doorway with your forearm vertical against the door frame and arm at a 90 degree angle. Leg on same side foreword, then rotate your upper body to the opposite side. Hold for 30 seconds.
3) Strengthen your lower trap and rhomboid muscles. I use a ther band. Hold the band in front of your body with arms to the side upright at a 90 degree angle. Pinch you shoulder blades together while holding the band. Do around 25 reps. Do this ever other day.
The knots or trigger points in your muscle can be massaged out by pressing firmly with the tips of your fingers and massaging in a counter clockwise direction. Biofreeze is a wonderful product to use while you self massage.
Good luck, I wish you luck. Again, for $12 I think you will find Kit Laughlin's books in valueable. :wiggle::wiggle:
