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Neck

Upper Trapezius Stretch

Releases tension in the upper trapezius muscle, one of the most common sources of neck and shoulder tightness, improving lateral neck flexibility and comfort.

Spinal Mobility20 to 30 seconds
Start your first sessionFree · no credit card · your session is built from it

How to do it

  1. 1

    Sit or stand tall with both shoulders level

    Ribs stacked over the pelvis, chin neither poking forward nor tucked hard.

  2. 2

    Anchor the shoulder on the side you are stretching

    Hold the edge of your seat with that hand, or simply let the arm hang heavy. Without that anchor the shoulder just travels up and the stretch disappears.

  3. 3

    Tilt your ear towards the opposite shoulder

    A straight sideways tilt, with no turning of the head and no hand pulling it further.

  4. 4

    Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, then change sides

    Reduce the tilt if you feel more than a mild stretch.

What to watch for

Adding a hand on the head to pull further. Keep this to a mild stretch you can breathe in, and come out straight away if anything tingles or travels down into the arm.

Ways to adjust it

  • Reduce range

Before you try it

Move within a range that stays comfortable. Stop if this brings on sharp pain, dizziness, or symptoms that travel down an arm or a leg, and speak to a clinician before repeating it.

One movement is a start. A session is the thing.

A few questions about your body and how it is today, and Vinys builds a session around it, including which movements to leave out.

Start your first session

From the clinically authored Vinys movement library.