Trapezius, Upper

Spinal Portion of Accessory Nerve and Twigs from C3 and C4. 

If needle electrode is inserted too deeply it will be in the levator 

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Hagg, G., Astrom, A. (1997). Load pattern and pressure pain threshold in the upper trapezius muscle and psychosocial factors in medical sercetaries with and without shoulder /neck disorders. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, 69,423-432. 

The first study from Table 1, Falla and Farina (2005) conducted the experiment to investigate muscle fiber Conduction Velocity (CV) compared among a group of nineteen upper trapezius muscle patients and nine healthy controls. The EMG signals were measured bilaterally by linear adhesive arrays of four electrodes (bar electrodes, 5x1 mm size, 10 mm apart) packed with a semi-disposable adhesive, separating surface EMG electrodes from subjects skin with small cavity filled with 20-30 xL of conductive gel. 

Falla and Farina, 2005) 2005 One-dimensional 4 (1 X 5) 19 Patients 9 Healthy Upper trapezius... 

Falla et at, 2007) 2007 One-dimensional 8 (1 X 9) 19 Healthy Upper, middle, lower trapezius... 

A, H. K, R. 2006. EMG amplitude distribution changes over the upper trapezius muscle are similar in sustained and ramp contractions. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 186(2), 159 8. 

Falla, D. Farina, D. 2005. Muscle fiber conduction velodty of the upper trapezius muscle during dynamic contraction of the upper limb in patients with chronic neck pain. Pain, 116, 138 145. 

Falla, D., Graven-Nielsen, T. Farina, D. 2006. Spatial and temporal changes of upper trapezius muscle fiber conduction velocity are not predicted by surface EMG spectral analysis during a dynamic upper limb task. Neurosci Meth., 156, 236-243. 

ABSTRACT The burden of work-related musculoskeletal disorders is increasing. The prevalence of these disorders among health care providers is very high. Physiotherapists are at risk of developing acute or cumulative injuries and little research has been done on the occupational demands of this profession. The aim of the research is to analyze the effect of a passive mobilization technique in the skin temperature of the upper trapezius muscle. Four final year students of a physiotherapy graduation course were recruited and a passive mobilization task was simulated and assessed with thermal imaging. The mobilization task increased skin temperature of the dominant side and affected thermal symmetry in all participants. 

Immediately after the mobilization task, skin temperature in the dominant upper trapezius muscle area decreased in two subjects, remain the same in one subject and increased in one subject. Five minutes after the mobilization task, skin temperature had increased in all subjects for at least 0.6°C (Table 1). 

In the non dominant upper trapezius muscle area, skin temperature decreased in all subjects immediately after the mobilization task. Five minutes after, skin temperature was lower than baseline in three subjects and 0.3°C higher in one subject only (Table 2). 

Table 1. Skin temperature values (°C) in the dominant upper trapezius.

Despite the limitations in the study the methodology proposed to evaluate the mobilization task allowed to monitor skin temperature without interfere with the subject and provided objective physiologic measurements associated with microcirculation. The use of false colour thermograms provided fast and easy subjective analysis of the temperature distribution. The passive mobilization technique increased the skin temperature in the upper trapezius and increased the temperature differences between the dominant and non dominant side. 

Risk factors for upper trapezius overload during computer work Short review of electromyographic studies... 

Neck and shoulder discomfort is particularly prevalent in work tasks requiring highly repetitive finger, hand or arm movements, as well as work with high visual demands, like the computer use (Nakata et al., 1993, Madeleine, 2010, Szeto et al., 2005, Thom et al., 2007, Levanon et al., 2012). The overload of the upper trapezius muscle has been identified as potential risk factor for musculoskeletal symptoms during computer use (Bmno Garza et al., 2014, Marcus et al., 2002) and the lowering of its activity may contribute to diminish the risk of work related musculoskeletal disorders (Madeleine et al., 2006). 

The aim of the present review is to analyze the effect of physical risk factors, assessed by EMG, for musculoskeletal disorders of the upper trapezius, during computer use. 

A systematic literature search was performed on Pubmed, AMED, CINAHL, PsycINFO, SPORTDiscus and Business Source Premier, from inception to September 2014, using the key words EMG, electromyography, ergonomics, ergonomic, muscle, upper trapezius, shoulder, shoulder pain, shoulder disability, shoulder disorder, musculoskeletal disorders, neck, neck pain, neck disorder, cervical, risk factor, computer, work and labor and boolean operators (AND, OR) were also added to search, with no temporal restriction. Filters for Enghsh language, peer-reviewed studies and human subjects were also applied. 

Madeleine, P., Vedsted, P., Blangsted, A.K., Sjogaard, G. Sogaard, K. (2006) Effects of electromyographic and mechanomyographic biofeedback on upper trapezius muscle activity during standardized computer work. Ergonomics, 49, 921-33. 

Bosch, T., De Looze, M., Van Dieen, J. (2007). Development of fatigue and discomfort in the upper trapezius muscle during light manual work. Ergonomics, 50(2), 161-177. 

Farina, D., Madeleine, P., Graven-Nielsen, T., Merletti, R., Arendt-Nielsen, L. (2002). Standardising surface eleotromyogram recordings for assessment of activity and fatigue in the human upper trapezius muscle. European journal of applied physiology, 86(6), 469 78. 

Initially, the patient may report pain, spasm, or decreased function, but one goal of the treatment is to decrease the tonicity of the muscles. Patient symptoms appear to be directly related to the amount of increased muscular tone. The larger, more superficial muscles are easily identified, especially when hypertonicity exists. Even though a patient can be in any position, having them lie supine or prone will facilitate the process. A muscle, such as the trapezius, can be easily palpated in the cervical, shoulder, and upper thoracic regions. The trapezius between the shoulder and neck can be grasped, or other... 

The cervical region musculature is commonly involved in stress-related reactions. During times of stress, individuals tend to tense the neck and upper back muscles, elevate the shoulders, and as a result have pain and stiffness of the neck and upper back. Some patients tend to "carry the weight of the world on their shoulders, and the trapezius tenses. Often, tender points and trigger points develop in this muscle. Trigger points in the trapezius usually refer pain to the head. Teaching the patient techniques to cope with stress is important in the treatment of stress-related somatic dysfunctions. 

The musculoskeletal system is intimately involved in tension and migraine headaches. The muscle involvement in tension headache is obvious and includes the muscles of the head and face, the cervical spine, and the upper thorax. Somatic dysfunction of the occipito-atlantal joint, the atlanto-axial joint, and C2 on C3 are frequent sources of headache. The levator scapula, with its attachments to the scapula and the cervical spine, and the trapezius must be considered. Facial muscles may be the major source of head pain. The patient must be evaluated for bruxism, teeth grinding, or jaw clenching, which affects the temporalis and masseter muscles. Bruxism may lead to dysfunction of temporal bone motion or to problems with the temporomandibular joint. 

Osteopathic structural examination revealed marked tenderness in the upper left thoracic area with somatic dysfunction of T2, T3, T4, and the third rib. The first ribs were elevated bilaterally and there was marked tension and tenderness in the trapezius bilaterally. Cervical somatic dysfunctions were aiso found OA F SiRi, C2 F SlRl, and C3 F S R . 

We affixed four adhesive sensors to each participant (see Figure 4). One sensor was placed on the left side of the upper chest to measure HRV, while the other three sensors were used to measure EMG in the upper fibres of the trapezius in the right shoulder, the extensor carpi radialis in the right forearm, and the tibialis anterior in the lower right leg. 

From the anatomic point of view, the muscles of the shoulder may be subdivided into two main groups intrinsic musdes (subscapularis, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, teres major and deltoid), which originate and insert on the skeleton of the upper limb, and extrinsic muscles, which join the upper limb with either the spine (trapezius, latis-simus dorsi, levator scapulae and rhomboid) or the thoracic wall (serratus anterior, pectoralis minor... 

Two fingerbreadths cephalad to the medial angle of scapula and one fingerbreadth medial. The electrode will travel through the upper trapezius. 

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