Revised levator scapula exericse | An important stabilizer of the scapula and cervical spine

[@dominatorkd]

You are THE MAN! I can't believe your videos dont have more views. So so so useful and critical. So many docs just prescribed physical therapy when I told them my problems and none of them talked about this. Thank you so much for embarking on this journey - you've a life saver.

[@shehabalaa8027]

Before founding this video I reached the exact same exercise by trial and error but it took me 2 years to find the right angle, and what’s funny is I found no one else even doctors knows anything about this. Your videos are literally a gem.❤

[@pavelborisov515]

Most "doctors" just repeat some information and give arbitrary common exercises without searching for the root cause of the patient's problem

[@jeanine219]

I was always advised incorrectly on this Kjetil. Thank you so much for this clarification. I am starting this exercise, because all my life I was always told to pull my shoulders back and down. I know now that consequently my lavator scapulae muscle on left side is very weak, rotating incorrectly, and consequently painful. Thank you so much for all of your hard earned knowledge and instruction❤️ I wish I had found your advice earlier in my life.

[@melodyebuskin5490]

Initially I found this statement to be contradictory ie “as you strengthen the muscles the pain reduces… strengthening does not mean tightening… strength is not a compromise” but now I get it and it does make sense. Thanks for clarifying.

[@mrik7868]

Nice to see multiple slow demonstrations of the desired movement. Thanks

[@DomogalaD]

@MSK Neurology , the information you bring out is amazing! Words can't express the amount of life quality i have gained with the exercises you brought out. A huge Thank YOU !!!

[@MSKNeurology]

Awesome man

[@vee4029]

Thank you for another information rich video. Your research and thought into recommending the right exercises is really commendable. Mindless stretching of these sensitive and intricate muscles around neck and upper back as recommended by most other practioners cause more harm than gain, which I have sadly found out through experience. Thank you for the helpful videos 🙏.

[@chaimfetter]

Yes it causes a lot of pain. I was very enthousiast because it finally activate the atrophied levator scapula. And you are right, it irritates all nerves of the cervical plexus up to your cheek and ears.

[@HeyIntegrity]

The way he showed irritates the nerves?

[@chaimfetter]

@@HeyIntegrity It does to me. Start very slowly and build up muscle strength over months and pain will decrease.

[@karolhomenda11]

@@chaimfetter how it is with your pain now?

[@chaimfetter]

@@karolhomenda11 I am experiencing less pain, but I am not fully recovered yet. Recently, I switched my exercise routine from using resistance bands to using dumbbells, increasing the weight by a kilo each month. It's important to challenge the muscles with higher resistance to encourage them to adapt and promote hypertrophy. Additionally, I perform bilateral vertical levator scapulae shrugs, holding the dumbbells at a 30% angle and raising them vertically while keeping my arms straight. I do 6 sets of 12 reps every 48 hours, increasing the weights as my muscles adapt. I hope this information helps others out there.

[@andrearoscioni3567]

When I do it if fill a lot of cracking in my shoulder/collarbone, is It safe to continue or should I avoid the exercise?

[@Aetherfield]

I would love to see you do a short video on proper rowing technique to avoid TOS/thoracic and lumbar injuries. I should let you know also, that while I am very grateful to learn about proper technique to avoid TOS, I figured out what was causing the severe itch- nerve pain radiating from Deltoid to Bicep… It was resolved by ceasing to take Vit B6 which I learned can cause a number of neuropathic type numbness/pain syndromes. Eliminating all B6 from several vitamin supplements finally resolved this issue for me… twice actually, because I doubted that was the cause at first. I wanted to let you know in case you have other clients whom present similarly. Thank You MS!!

[@Jacksonnnnnnnnnnnnn]

How long did it take for you to improve? I stopped taking a multivitamin for this reason but haven't seen an improvement. Probably 2 months ago

[@Aetherfield]

@@Jacksonnnnnnnnnnnnn I felt improvement within 2 weeks. I also performed reverse doorway fly’s & nerve glides. I took Purist Colloids, colloidal Platinum for nerve repair and PEMF. Make sure you are avoiding nuts & high B6 foods, and that it’s not in other supplements you may take.

[@Jacksonnnnnnnnnnnnn]

@@Aetherfield Nice. Didn't realize it could be b6 foods also. Probably not the cause of my issues, but will look more into it. Thanks

[@Aetherfield]

@@Jacksonnnnnnnnnnnnn Good luck! I had constant itching radiating. It was terrible and I hope you aren’t living with that because I was beside myself thinking of suicide or amputation all the while

[@Jacksonnnnnnnnnnnnn]

@@Aetherfield thanks man! Luckily not. Just tingling and numbness. Glad you fixed it though

[@bostic8683]

amazing content

[@2am561]

This is 100% true. I manage to fix my neck pain by rehabbing my levator scapulae

[@MSKNeurology]

Good job bud

[@Gumbi1012]

Going to give this a shot, thanks a lot! Pulled my levator scapula 9 months ago in ju jitsu (guy had 20 kg on me trying to crank the f*ck out of my neck and I didn't want to tap). Have never had neck issues, anytime I had a sore next would always be fine after a bit. This time it seems I pulled my levator scapula and it's been bothering me since, pain runs down along my trap and even driving is a little bit bothersome. Going to give this a shot and see how it goes. Physio was useless, told me to work neck extensors and it would solve itself (my neck extensors are stronger than 99% of the population in all likelihood)...

[@HomemadeAthletics]

Send me your contact info if you can't get it resolved!

[@DeSam90]

thanks MSK, I feel like I'm able to hit them properly with this exercise now, mainstream doctors had me go through all the usual stretching and dry needling but it actively contributed to the worsening of my levator capula

[@mcdonaldslover52]

ive had a weird chronic numb feeling around my serratus/rib (which im now thinking is those nerves youre talking about) on the left side for a few years now, alongside a winged scapula (left) and my head slightly tilted to the right (with the right levator scapula being tight). Will try this out alongside following advice about keeping your traps elavated (they both sat at the bottom of range of motion constantly) for a few months and see how things improve. thanks you explain things really well

[@55233655]

Que genio bro! Todos los vídeos son excelentes!

[@balbibou]

Thie is the exercise you shared woth Brian the immortal right ? I think we can see him doing this exercise with dumbbells

[@JDB61698]

Thank you so much!

[@rima9759]

Question If when we rotate or laterally flex to the left side the neck locks up and you feel resistance, and the right side is very short and tight, does this mean that the left transverse process of the atlas is subluxated forward and the right one is subluxated backwards? Hence the left atlas tvp is compressing the ijv? How do we solve this? Do we strengthen the levator on the left side to pull the left tvp backwards and stretch the right levator to release the right tvp so it can come forward? Great videos by the way.

[@Acoha7]

This is great, thank you. It looks a lot different than your previous video where it seemed to be a lot more about elevation. I hope to see a revised video for scalenus strengthening from you.

[@MSKNeurology]

Both are OK, the information here is the most important

[@melodyebuskin5490]

Can a decades old dislocated clavical that’s out of place but calcified and stabilized cause other structural neck n shoulder issues? My chiro says no.

[@robk9330]

Hi, how long would it take to correct a cervical hinge with this exercise? Should I still expect 3 to 6 months of doing this exercise daily, or could it be faster than that? II don't have any pain, only jaw pain and tinnitus. Also, how many sets/reps per day? Thanks!

[@BALLINGAHAHA]

Kjetil, not sure if you still read the comments of this video but I have a question. When I perform this exercise and begin to draw my shoulders, the base of my skull cracks. Even when shrugging, the base of my skull cracks and shakes a little. What does this indicate? Has anyone else run into this issue?

[@annap1191]

Thanks for the video. Should this exercise be performed after having venous TOS surgery?

[@cdm1876]

I'm having a very difficult and complex issue with my scapula and traps especially my right do you tella or online consultation as I'm in the united states but I'd love to get looked at by you I know your an expert in a lot of this

[@HaroldSeaman]

Suffering with scapula Dyskinesia and neck pain for years, when I try this exercise my upper trap really spasms and jumps at the very end range of the movement, why would this be?

[@rodroe1]

Thank you so much

[@acali18]

Thank you for this, I started trying it today. When doing this I also get pain between the rhomboid and the spine. I believe it’s a dorsal scapular nerve issue. Do you have any thoughts or suggestions for this?

[@scottk1525]

Thanks for these videos. You've basically cornered the market for neck stabilization exercises. Is it possible to target the upper portion of the levator scupala that is involved in neck rotation which the goal of helping to stabilize the cervical spine? Thanks.

[@akiratrolliyama4062]

In what kind of exercise its ok for your elbow to go behind your torso?

[@MSKNeurology]

Your question is too vague

[@akiratrolliyama4062]

@@MSKNeurology like in a ring pushup elbows go way behind your body

[@Marco-pf3te]

Could you also perform a variation of this exercise where the resistance comes more from behind? I was thinking this because usually one generates strength directly against the direction of resistance. For example attaching the band someplace low, doing 2 steps forward en then pulling the scapula forward. Another thought I had was sitting on a gym bench with the back support slightly backwards and then pulling the scapula more up and just a little bit forward. I could be over complicating things here... Thanks for everything you do!

[@MSKNeurology]

I talk about this in the video

[@GoodByeSkyHarborLive]

@@MSKNeurology if i understood correctly you said in the video that the levator, pec minor, and serratus eccentrically prevent the scapula from pulling back too much in the bench press, are they all resisting posterior tilt retraction of the scapula eccentrically?

[@MSKNeurology]

@@GoodByeSkyHarborLive Yes except serratus which counters retraction and anterior tilt eccentrically (in this case)

[@jackprot351]

So attempting to strengthen the LS too much too soon can cause cervical plexopathy in patients with excessively weak LS?

[@famouz5880]

So you think if there is some atlas dislocation (mere rotation) we should still train bilaterally? Am I correct?

[@MSKNeurology]

Definitely

[@thetokyodrafts813]

Love you man!

[@TheKrazyjet]

is there a way you can unrestrict the video so that i can save it to a playlist? according to google, when the owner of the video restricts download access, saving to a playlist is also restrcited, for the viewer.

[@chaimfetter]

You made a similar video called Levator scapulae exercise in 2017 which is a little bit different than this exercise. Which one would you recommend to do for a painful atrophied levator scapula?

[@MSKNeurology]

Take a wild guess; the one I just made, or the one that is five years old? Especially considering the fact that I literally posted this as a revision.

[@chaimfetter]

@@MSKNeurology In this video you say to make sure that you're not having pain for more than a couple of days after you train. But I have pain all the time, my levator scapula is in a constant stiff and painful state, even if I take full rest for a couple of days. When I do this exercise a couple of reps, pain and stiffness increases enormously. How to get out of the downward spiral?

[@MSKNeurology]

@@chaimfetter MORE pain, not pain in general. If you're at an average 5 out of 10, for example, aim for one day of 6 after training.

[@chaimfetter]

@@MSKNeurology Thanks a lot for your great feedback. Really appreciate it! When I have more questions I will book an online session.

[@anthonycarbone3826]

@@MSKNeurologyLOL

[@LordGodKing]

Would you say that crossing your arms is a bad habbit? The forward and down motion of the shoulders you demonstrated at 9:36 in the video reminds me very much of how the shoulders act in that pose. When I do this my shoulder blades are in constant protraction, and I wonder if it could make the pec minor tight as well. I've actually never heard a therapist talk about this.

[@MSKNeurology]

No

[@AlchemicalAudio]

What can you do for an over active levator scapula?

[@MSKNeurology]

Myth, it's caused by weak traps and poor posture

[@heartchakra2]

This seems like exactly what I need. Do you pull up on the band at all for resistance ?

[@MSKNeurology]

Yes

[@Tajjy3]

Thoughts on levator scapula clenching? Could it be a cheat patients do when trying to keep shoulder up

[@MSKNeurology]

Yes

[@TS-lm5po]

How can this be avoided?

[@mezpezlez]

Hey, recently came across you videos. I tried this out yesterday and it slightly flared up my TOS symptoms down the arm. Is that to be expected?

[@MSKNeurology]

If your shoulders were up, yes, that's fine just don't overdo it. If it gets worse then you are training it too hard. Tolerance will be low. If your shoulders were down, or you're not sure, then no.

[@playermartin286]

I sometimes get pain in the solar plexus area and cold hands which lasts for a couple of days. Does this correlate with brachial plexus compression and what can be done about it?

[@MSKNeurology]

I've seen it associated but can't guarantee that this is what's causing it in your case

[@whitneylouder4628]

Where are you located?

[@willferridrums]

would you hold the barbell in front or behind yourself?

[@MSKNeurology]

Behind

[@florinavillarde3878]

How many of these should one do?

[@MSKNeurology]

Until tired, but it should not hurt / exacerbate symptoms for more than max 1-2 days afterward. Do it no more than twice per week

[@elizabethw.454]

Can you please tell me the name of the disorder you spoke of at 5:04? Cervical plexus entrapopathy? I have had those symptoms you described for a year now with no relief. Don't know what to do.

[@MSKNeurology]

You won't find much online. Cervical plexus entrapment plexopathy.

[@elizabethw.454]

@@MSKNeurology thank you for responding. Do you have any patients with hyoid bone syndrome? Been down too many rabbit holes lately

[@kevinkwameofori-otchere8038]

Yes I get a lot of SCM pain and jaw pain. It all started with my levator scapula

[@user-bt5ur1pr7r]

@@kevinkwameofori-otchere8038hey man, have you found a way to help your issue?

[@melodyebuskin5490]

You look bulked up like you’re weight training. You never mention this as a way to heal physical issues. How has it helped you in your healing journey?

[@ultraanglegrinder]

Kjetil your voice is so much deeper than just 3 years ago :O

[@Sylorinnis]

He's not natty anymore lol

[@adonosssi]

@@Sylorinnis forreal?

[@Fresh-qc3zn]

GH

[@boriskolar243]

we love you❤exercise in 6:30min!