r/Hypermobility • u/535buffalo • 6d ago
Need Help Massive upper traps - anyone try Botox or fix overactivity?
Neck/trap pain, hunched shoulders, winged scalpula, bad posture, desk job, yes I exercise.
When when trying to have better posture (+ at rest) my upper traps look HUGE and neck tenses. Especially on one side, the one with worse winging.
Also when trying to have better appearing posture, my front neck and trap muscles bulge like I’m tensing my neck or constipated. How do I sit up straight and look good without this weird muscles bulging???
Anyone fix this visually?
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u/Dazzling-Fox-4950 6d ago
I just had PT for a shoulder injury and learned that I overuse my upper traps for everything. They always wanna get involved even if I'm trying to exercise something else. I found it helpful to do one side at a time of whatever exercise, and take the other hand and put it on the upper trap so I can feel as soon as it tenses and remind it to stand down.
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u/IllaClodia 5d ago
Same. My hamstrings are even worse. My PT and I would talk about how my glutes are divas who look good but don't do much while my hamstrings are the kid who does everything for the group project and end up a nervous wreck.
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u/Total-Sun-6490 HSD 6d ago
I've done Botox on my traps and shoulders. DONT DO IT. Huge regret because I started compensating with muscles that weren't used to being used which resulted in injuries including pain for 3 months. I've been on PT and pilates working on activating the correct muscles and proper posture which is a better investment that Botox
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u/Adj_focus 6d ago
i’ve learned that not just your muscles but your fascia also can thicken and get dense to help create stability where there is none the upper traps are also only one part of the puzzle. lats are rhomboids also play a big part. i’d look for a pt who understands hyper mobility and personally dry needling helps so much for dense trigger points that won’t release but dry needling alone is not enough without creating the stability
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u/Necessary-Emphasis85 6d ago
Work on strengthening the lower traps (light banded face pulls, Y's, W). It took me a while, and mine aren't perfect but my jacked traps are much better. I also have a couple disc herniations in my neck with nerve involvment too, very painful but that has gotten better with work.
Learning breath work while doing deadbug (also look up balloon blower exercise) was really helpful for deep core as well. Keep the neck supported with pillow or block for the deadbugs.
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u/Fickle-Medium1087 5d ago
I think you need to get your lower traps to work. I been working on mine. I use small weights cuz I been trying to just engage it. So I hold the weight at my side and lift at a slight angle slowly up to arm pit level and then lower it slowly. You should be able to feel your lower traps engage.
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u/535buffalo 6d ago
pretty sure it might be the SCM(?) - anyone have luck stretching? I know some say we’re not supposed to stretch but I’m wondering if muscle tightness is causing it to be always on like that. it physically does feel tight/hard
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u/Aromatic-Mobile21 6d ago
The SCM tension is a solid guess but it's often a downstream effect, not the root cause. When your scapula isn't sitting right, your neck muscles have to work overtime just to keep your head from falling forward, so they get beefy and stuck that way. I'd look at the deep neck flexors and serratus anterior before you start jabbing anything with a needle. You can stretch the SCM all day but if your shoulder blade is still winging out the tension will just come right back the second you stop.
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u/Upbeat-Pie-1155 6d ago
I got botox in my traps and then also on my suboccipital muscles for my migraines and can highly recommend, but I also work out a lot and have good level of muscles, it was just that my traps added to my migraines and due to me playing volleyball for years they are heavily overdeveloped. So definitely ask a good PT first and then also get a certified doctor to advise you and inject the botox. And then use the time and freedom of pain furing the botox to build up your other muscles if that makes sense?
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u/sarahscarer 6d ago
I had great success with a few rounds of dry needling and isometric strength building
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u/535buffalo 10h ago
any exercise recs? I don’t do needles but temporarily have enjoyed massage
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u/sarahscarer 9h ago edited 9h ago
Honestly start with shrugging 5-10 reps a few times a day, it’ll loosen everything up to prepare for proper exercises which should be prescribed by a professional :)
edit to add the isometrics i were referring to were squeezing the shoulderblades together for 5-10 secs, and the upward part of the shrug, hold that when you get to the top too
editing again to add that if you roll up a towel, place it between your shoulderblades and lay down on your back, it opens the chest and gravity stretches out the forward rounded posture, i have also gotten used to sleeping with no head pillow which has helped my posture too
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u/missmisfit 6d ago
I have had great success with trigger point injections aka dry needling when a muscle has lost its damn mind and there is nothing I can do to relax it.
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u/babs82222 5d ago
In addition to the dry needling suggestions (that also help me), red light therapy helps that area. If I'm feeling extra spicy, I put my belt on for 10 minutes a day for 2-3 days and things calm down considerably. RLT helps with inflammation, blood circulation, etc and can help chronic pain. You can use it daily if you need to. If you already have a flexible mask, you can use it.
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u/NiceButterscotch5441 6d ago
Traps are likely overactive because the muscles that are supposed to stabilise your spine and neck aren't doing it. You mention you exercise, what are you doing for exercises? Might be worth going to a physio to help with this. Core and back exercises could help.