What Is Wrong With My Neck? A Look At The Muscles Involved

Hailey was your average office worker. She spent eight hours a day at her computer at work, then a couple more hours on her computer at home working on personal business or education. Her job wasn't horrible, but it was certainly stressful, especially since she’d been forced to team up with her office frenemy on a big project. And, of course, there was the responsibility of caring for the kids, cleaning the house when she could, and sneaking in a few moments for herself. So yeah, life was a bit stressful—but no different from most of her friends and coworkers.

Lately, though, what had been bothering Hailey more was an increasing stiffness in her neck. Some mornings, she could hardly turn her head to say goodbye to the kids as she dropped them off at school. And it hurt too. She tried switching out pillows, stretching her neck, and alternating heat and ice—but nothing seemed to help. She started wondering, “What is wrong with my neck?”

If you're reading this article, chances are you're asking yourself the same question. So, without further ado, let's dive into how muscle overuse might be causing your neck pain and stiffness—and, most importantly, how you can fix it so you can feel and move better again.

Overused Muscles Could Be The Answer To Your Neck Pain and Stiffness

To put it simply, a muscle becomes overused when it remains tight (constricted) for an extended period or to such an extent that it locks into that tight position, forming knots and painful trigger points. Once a muscle tightens, it can pull on surrounding muscles, causing them to become tight and knotted as well. This chain reaction continues as neighboring muscles are affected. As these muscles shift and pull, pain and stiffness can develop in secondary or even tertiary areas. While massaging these areas may feel good, it won’t resolve the issue, because the root cause lies with the original muscle, which may or may not be the source of the pain itself. When we examine the three muscles most commonly responsible for neck pain and stiffness, you’ll notice they’re not significant neck muscles by themselves, but when they become tight and imbalanced, they pull on the neck, causing the pain or stiffness you feel.

Muscles That Can Create Neck Pain and Stiffness

Now that we’ve explored how muscles can contribute to neck problems, let’s examine which specific muscles may be responsible. Below is a list of muscles, organized in the order a therapist would assess them to identify the primary source of your discomfort.

1. Trapezius

This large muscle spans much of the upper back and connects the upper back to the neck. It supports the weight of the head and neck while helping to stabilize the shoulders. You use it every time you lift your arms.

Issues It Can Cause:

• Neck stiffness

• Temple or tension headache

• Headaches at the base of the skull

• A tight and sore upper back

• Burning pain or ache in the mid back after sitting for a time without elbow support

  
  

How It Can Be Overused:

• Slouching and poor posture

• Emotional tension

• Keeping the shoulders raised or in front of the body for a long period of time

• Sitting without proper elbow support for long periods of time

• Carrying a heavy backpack or purse

2. Suboccipital Muscles

These muscles are found right below the base of the skull and connect the top vertebrae to the skull and to each other. 

Issues They Can Cause:

• Neck stiffness

• Pain that feels like it is inside the head, extending from the back of the head to the eye and forehead

• A headache where the whole of one side of the head hurts

  
  

How They Can Be Overused:

• Slouching while keeping the head looking forward

3. Levator Scapulae

This muscle connects the shoulder blade to the neck. Its main purpose is to lift the shoulder blade. 

Issues It Can Cause:

• Pain in the angle of the neck

• Inability to turn your head to look over your shoulder

How It Can Be Overused:

• Hunching the shoulders for long periods of time either because of poor posture or high stress and tension levels

• Holding the phone to your ear with your shoulder

• Backpacks and purses held from the shoulder

• Sitting for long periods in a chair without proper armrests

4. Deep Cervical Extensors

The deep cervical extensor muscles, the splenius, semispinalis capitis, multifidi and rotatores are small muscles that connect the vertebrae of the upper back and neck to each other and to the skull. Their main function is to provide stability and movement to the cervical spine.

Issues They Can Cause:

• Pain in the angle of the neck

• Pain in the cervical spine

• Can contribute to migraine headaches

• Pain in the scalp of the back of the head

• Shoulder pain

How They Can Be Overused:

• Slouching and poor posture

• Emotional tension

• Holding the phone the your ear with your shoulder

• Sitting for long periods without proper elbow support

What You Can Do To Relieve Your Neck Problems

Massage The Muscles

A great starting point for relieving overused muscles is with massage. If you're wondering whether certain muscles might be contributing to your neck pain or stiffness, you can try locating and massaging them yourself. If massaging these areas causes significant pain or triggers the neck pain you're experiencing, they could very well be part of the problem. From there, you can either attempt short self-massage sessions to see if it alleviates the discomfort, or you can seek help from a massage therapist.

Avoid Further Overworking The Muscles

Even if you aren't sure that muscles are causing your neck pain and stiffness, it is a good idea to do what you can to avoid overusing the muscles that can contribute to your symptoms. One of the big reasons that the muscles we have discussed become overused is because of hunching and raising the shoulders, which is often in part created by emotional tension and stress. Finding ways to reduce your stress levels or learning relaxation techniques can be a good start to relieving your neck pain, and making you feel better in general. Other good preventative steps are not carrying heavy bags or backpacks, or limiting that amount of time they are being carried. If you sit for long periods of the day, make sure that you are at a table or desk that is at the proper height to your chair, and that your chair has proper armrests.

Corrective Techniques

Total Neck Recovery Exercise

This simple exercise can be done daily, either right before getting out of bed or just after getting in. It helps strengthen, stretch, and balance the neck.

See The Full Exercise Here

Start Feeling Better Today!

If you suspect that muscle tension may be contributing to your neck pain or stiffness and are ready to take the next step toward healing, book a session today. Let’s work together to help you feel and move better!

Book Your Session Now

Much of the information I share in this article comes from Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Therapy Manual by Janet G. Travell, M.D., and David G. Simons, M.D. This two-volume set transformed my approach to massage, and I have been able to help many of my clients by applying their research and methods. While these books are quite technical and go into more depth than most people need, I highly recommend The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook by Clair Davies, NCTMB, for an easy-to-read and practical guide for learning more and treating your own trigger points.