Lower Trapezius Retraining – Arm Down at the Side

To retrain and strengthen the right lower trapezius:

• The patient is lying prone with their left hand under their forehead and their right arm down at the side with the palm facing the ceiling.
• Ask the patient to slowly lift their R shoulder up off the table/floor by bringing the shoulder blade down and back until their shoulder feels level with their back. The R hand remains on the table.
• Make sure that the patient does not pinch their shoulder blades together, but that they draw the right shoulder blade down and back aiming towards their left back hip pocket.
• They hold for 5-10 seconds and repeat 3-5 times initially. They add repetitions as their strength improves.
• Make sure that the patient doesn’t depress the shoulder by using the latissimus dorsi.