pulled trap muscle

Our user asked: "for the past few years i have pulled a muscle in my traps while doing either BB shrugs or BB bent rows. The pain from this is unbearable. I'm at the point now where just turning my head in different positions causes me to feel discomfort. I tell myself that I have a pinched nerve or muscle tear. I s this something that I should have looked at by an orthopedic Dr.? what exercises or preventative measures can I take in the future. Not doing the exercises is not an option for me at this point. thanks for your help!"

Ask a PT Response: "If your pain is unbearable, than it may be a good idea at this time to see an orthopedic doctor or physical therapist. They will be able to better assess your condition and determine what is going on. If you were to see a PT, he or she will conduct an evaluation to determine what may be contributing to your pain ie. disc, nerve impingement, myofascial dysfunction, postural dysfunction etc. The PT will definitely look at how you are lifting using the bar bell. For example, if your shoulders are protruded somewhat when you are doing the bar bell shrugs you may be putting additional stresses on your upper trap vs. performing this exercise with a more neutral positioning of your shoulders. The same can be said with bar bell bent rows as well. Proper posture and mechanics are extremely important with lifting and for injury prevention. Given the PT findings, stretches for the upper trapezius and postural exercises would most likely be prescribed. These can be done to help prevent a recurrence of injury. As for right now, I would definitely suggest you stop performing this exercise until things improve so that you can give your body time to recover. Good luck with your condition and thank you for using CyberPT."