Strength training exercises using dumbbells can reduce pain and improve function in the trapezius muscle, the large muscle which extends from the back of the head, down the neck and into the upper back.

The exercises also improve the muscle’s ability to respond quickly and forcefully among women suffering trapezius myalgia, a tenderness and tightness in the upper trapezius muscle. The results are the latest findings from an ongoing Danish study aimed at reducing repetitive strain injury caused by office work.

The team’s latest finding confirms that that five strength exercises — the one-arm row, shoulder abduction, shoulder elevation, reverse fly and upright row — can substantially reduce perceived pain. By finding out more about how the muscle function has been impaired and how it improves with exercise, the team has developed a way to assess the muscle in the rehabilitation setting.

In particular, the Danish team found that the women who had diminished abilities to activate the muscle quickly and forcefully could benefit from the strength training.

Source: Journal of Applied Physiology