Lower Trapezius Demonstration

This individual has a unilateral lower trapezius inhibition.  This muscle test is tricky due to the fact that most people don't use it very often throughout the day.  Testing this muscle in the prone position takes some practice because the patient has gravity working AGAINST them.  The most important aspect to pay attention to here is the positioning of the arm so that you induce scapular depression.  Just like any other muscle test, you approximate the origin to the insertion and then enlongate them.

Things to consider here:

• Athletic injury (is the person left handed and if so, what sport did he play?)
• Every muscle, just like acupuncture meridian, has a corresponding organ related to it.  The lower trapezius is connected to the spleen.  The spleen needs vitamin C, zinc and manganese to help make superoxide dismutase to aid in putting out fires within the body.
• Anyone with a inhibition of the lower trapezius will have a reciprocal tension in the pectoral girdle, especially the minor division.  This can then create brachial plexus entrapments and irritate the thoracic duct drainage into the subclavian vein.
• If this were weak bilaterally, start thinking about the diaphragm.