Did you know that sloped shoulders are a sign of muscle weakness? Due to the weight of the arms and gravity over the years, the upper fibres of trapezius muscle become so long that they can no longer do their job (which is to raise your shoulder blades when your arms are above shoulder height). Mine were weak by the age of only fifteen, and ached daily. I did some exercises that I THOUGHT we good for me, including shrugs with weights and stretching my head to one side then the other. I 'corrected' my shoulder posture by pulling my shoulder blades back and down but the ache persisted.
Did you know that strengthening the upper fibres of trapezius properly can potentially improve the health of FORTY spinal joints and both shoulders? There are forty joints between the occiput and T12 which can become compressed from the upper fibrest of trapezius being too long and the lower fibres of trapezius being too short. The lower fibres hold the shoulder blades down, preventing them from gliding up as they should when the arms are above shoulder height, which can cause rotator cuff and bicep tendon tendonitis.
Did you know that doing shrugs with your arms at your sides can make things WORSE? And so can stretching your head to the side? Come in to learn how to strengthen your upper fibres of trapezius properly and how to correct your shoulder blade posture - it is not by pulling your shoulders back or down.
For more info, see below for posts from 4/25/2025 and 4/12/2025.
Amy Riddick Physiotherapy, where mechanical injuries get mechanical treatment.