ABSTRACT
Inflammation of the trapezius muscle can literally be a pain in the neck, the shoulder, and the upper back and can be particularly disruptive to the patient's daily life. The trapezius is a large superficial fan-shaped muscle located on the upper back that extends from the external protuberance of the occipital bone to the thoracic region on the posterior aspect of the trunk and attaches to the clavicle and scapula. The function of the trapezius is to stabilize and move the scapula such as moving the scapula together, shrugging the shoulders up toward the ears and rotating the scapula to allow the arm to reach overhead. Patient lies prone with both arms placed at the side of the torso and both legs are extended; the therapist stands near the patient's head. Rhomboid muscle connects the scapula to the spine. The scapula become unstable when the rhomboid muscle is weak, and pain at the upper back occurs when raising the arm.
