More and more of us are seeking solutions for overly tight trapezius muscles and upper back pain. In fact, "traptox" or trapezius Botox is now one of the fastest rising new procedures, as a way to relax the upper back and reduce pain. The problem? These treatments don't always address the root cause.
Millennials and Gen Z in particular are at risk of this type of back issue, with conditions like 'tech neck' cited as a common cause. But some research shows there are other factors that are causing those hard-as-rock traps – in particular, the mental stressors of the modern world.
Before you pick up the needle, here's what you need to know about upper back pain and its links to our mental states. And why activities like breathwork and exercise might be better solutions.
Depression and anxiety manifests in your traps
Did you know that your traps are colloquially referred to as the 'emotional muscle'?
According to Clinical Psychologist Dr. Maria-Elena Lukeides, this nickname is because "they are one of the main areas where we are most likely to hold tension".
Emotional turmoil, depression and anxiety doesn't just have mental consequences, many of the impacts are physical too. These muscles instinctively tighten when we're experiencing negative emotions like anxiety – and this can cause a lot of pain in the whole upper back area. "Physically, anxiety can make us feel like we’re curling inwards, therefore causing a poor posture," Dr Lukeides says.
As for depression, it affects the body in a different but equally problematic way. It's all to do with depression shutting down the body's motivational systems.
"When our motivation system shuts down, energy throughout the body is extremely limited which physiologically leads to experiences such as heaviness, tiredness, soreness, and some may even feel dizzy or faint," says Dr Lukeides
Dr Lukeides also says: "This of course has an effect on our posture too – people who carry a lot of emotional burden are using those muscles to hunch over. It’s no wonder we tend to feel a sort of emotional release or relaxation when we get massaged in this area."
Neurodivergent individuals are prone to upper back pain thanks to a postural quirk
Yes, neurodivergence can be the culprit of back pain too. It's all due the motor skills that affect the tilt of your pelvis – which in turn causes strain to the upper back.
People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are more likely to have an anterior pelvic tilt. ASD is a complex developmental condition – it's not a mental health disorder. While the experiences and challenges of those with ASD can vary widely, an anterior pelvic tilt is a common trait.
"According to research, people with ASD are more prone to have anterior pelvic tilts because of neurological and sensory differences impact their motor skills and body awareness," says Dr. Lukeidis.
An anterior pelvic tilt is where the front of the pelvis tilts forward. This causes the back to rises, and results in an exaggerated curve in the lower back. This postural quirk puts increased strain and load on the upper trapezius muscles.
There are also some links between ADHD (another developmental condition) and anterior pelvic tilts. "There is some credible evidence to suggest that, citing similar reasons – people with ADHD experience difficulties with motor skills, balance and postural control. People with ADHD process things differently on a sensory level which affects body awareness and often impacts their posture and muscle tension," says Dr. Lukeidis.
Stress is causing bad posture – and vice versa
Most of us know that muscle tension is heavily linked to stress. But many of us don't know exactly why
When stress hormones enter our blood stream, our body prepares for attack by hardening and tensing the muscles at the front and top of the body – the belly, the stomach, chest, clenched jaw and shoulders.
"Muscle tension is our body’s way of guarding itself against pain or injury. We create an 'armour for protection." says Dr Lukeidis.
But prolonged periods of stress and tension can lead to muscle injury – manifesting in muscle soreness, tightness, hunching, poor posture and pain in areas like the neck, shoulders and the back.
And unfortunately, if we're regularly stressed out, our bodies can be impacted, even when we're relaxing.
"If we live lives that switch on our stress chemicals often, the body can also start to put these stress chemicals on autopilot. This is where we may find ourselves physically tensing up and being on edge, even when we are mentally in relax mode," says Dr. Lukeidis.
Dr. Lukeidis points out, that this can situation can be cyclical. Because poor posture increase stress.
"The interesting thing is that the emotional/physical bond can work in reverse too – poor posture can actually exacerbate feelings of stress. So, if you naturally slump, time to work on standing up straight."
So, what are some solutions?
Certainly, heading to your local injector is not going to address some of the underlying causes of upper back pain and poor posture.
Instead, minimising stress and improving your overall mood could be more beneficial to your body long term. Especially, if your muscle pain is indeed being caused by your mental health.
"Look at ways to minimise stress by practicing mindfulness exercises like journaling, meditation, deep breathing, yoga or even a hot bath to fully relax. Bodywork techniques such as breathwork, massage and mindfulness activities can aid in bringing the body back to a state of peace and this can help alleviate the tension we have," says Dr. Lukeidis.
"Consider speaking to a mental health professional who can work with you to find the right coping mechanism. If you’re feeling a physical tension in your shoulders, neck and back, you may not even realise it’s linked to something emotional, but consider how it may be impacting this.
"Try to bring some awareness back into your body by systematically tensing and relaxing different muscle groups. You can also do things like book yourself in for a massage to relieve tension, consider acupuncture, saunas or anything that might make you feel a physical sense of relief.
As for correcting an anterior tilt, the situation is slightly more complex – especially if your anterior pelvic tilt is linked to neurodivergence. Neurodivergence of course is not mental disorder. It's a complex condition that needs support, rather than "fixing". Here, gentle exercise that works on posture can be a solution. Some Pilates or yoga poses can help support your postural alignment. And of course, consult with a physiotherapist.
