Move of the Month: Lower Traps
by GRP Rower Sophie Calabrese
If you’re anything like me (and most everyone since COVID), you’ve been spending a lot of time hunched over your computer working. While having a strong and healthy core is important to help protect your low back from this position, that’s only half the battle. Sitting in that position for a long time with a scrunched core and tightened hip flexors creates a need for your body to open up out of that shape. Yoga or stretching is great for that, but are temporary solutions. A more long-term fix is to strengthen your mid-back to help your spine maintain its proper, natural curve. This article is going to be all about how to do this, specifically by utilizing your lower trapezius muscles.
You’ve probably heard of your ‘trap’ muscle (known as your upper trapezius) and, while it’s an important muscle, it’s not the one I want to discuss today. The muscle of interest is your lower trapezius. Your lower traps sit directly in your mid-back, between your shoulder blades. They’re important for counteracting the curve created by hunching over a laptop because they pull your shoulder blades down and back as well as reinforce the spinal vertebrae in that area.
The lower traps are a common subject in physical therapy because it’s rare for anyone to pay attention to them and strengthen them properly. Here’s several lower trap exercises to help you get started on your back health journey:
Prone T
Lie face down on a yoga mat.
Place your arms out to the side, making a ‘T’ shape.
Point your thumbs to the ceiling and raise both arms as high as possible, keeping them straight and feeling a squeeze in your mid-back.
Return to the starting position.
Perform 3 sets of 12-15 reps.
Y-Raise
Attach a resistance band of appropriate difficulty to a secure object at about hip height.
With straight arms, raise your hands above your head while keeping your shoulders down.
Return to the starting position.
Perform 3 sets of 12-15 reps.
Scapular pull-ups
Find a bar or secure object to hang from.
Jump up and hang with your hands slightly wider than shoulder width.
Keeping your arms and elbows straight, pull your shoulder blades down and back to create a little movement (but not nearly as much as regular pull-ups). Keep your arms pretty much straight.
Return to the starting position.
Perform 3 sets of 12-15 reps.
To get the maximum benefit of fighting that screen hunch, try foam rolling or using a lacrosse ball on your chest muscles (pecs) in addition to the lower trap exercises I described above!