Levator Scapulae Stretch
Talk to your doctor first. General education, not medical advice.This content is general education, not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Get approval from your physician or another qualified healthcare provider before starting any exercise program, especially if you have a medical condition, a recent injury or surgery, are pregnant, or take medication. Stop and seek medical advice if an exercise causes pain, dizziness, chest discomfort or shortness of breath. You choose to exercise at your own risk. Read the full medical disclaimer.
Part of 2 free routines
This exercise is one step in a phased home routine. Follow the whole routine, or print it on one page.
Follow a routine with this exercise, day by day
Posture Correction, phase 1Tech Neck & Cervicogenic Headache, phase 1
Opens a free daily checklist with videos and a printable tracker. No sign-up.
Physical therapist or assistant? Add this exercise to a patient’s home program →
Clinical Context
The levator scapulae runs from the side of the top four neck vertebrae down to the top inner corner of the shoulder blade. It lifts the shoulder blade and helps tilt and turn the neck. Many people feel tightness or a tender spot where the neck meets the shoulder blade, especially after long spells at a desk, on the phone or driving.This stretch turns the head about 45 degrees, tucks the chin toward the opposite armpit and keeps the shoulder blade down. NHS physiotherapy handouts describe the same position. Stretching is usually one part of a plan for neck pain, alongside staying active and strengthening the neck and shoulder-blade muscles.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Sit or stand with good posture. Grasp the bottom of your chair with the hand on the side you want to stretch (this anchors the scapula down).
- Turn your head approximately 45 degrees — look toward your opposite armpit.
- Gently flex your neck forward, dropping your chin down toward your opposite armpit.
- You should feel a deep stretch on the back and side of the neck on the anchored side.
- Optionally, use the opposite hand on top of your head for gentle overpressure — weight of the hand only.
- Hold for 30 seconds, breathing into the stretch.
- Slowly return to neutral and repeat on the other side.
Key Form Cues
- Anchor the scapula: Holding the chair seat or reaching toward the floor with the stretching side prevents the scapula from elevating and cheating the stretch.
- 45-degree rotation is key: This angle aligns the stretch vector with the levator scapulae fiber direction.
- Look toward the armpit: The combined rotation + flexion creates the specific stretch that differentiates this from a general upper trap stretch.
Progression & Regression
Regression
- Don’t use hand overpressure
- Hold for 15 seconds
- Reduce the amount of forward flexion
Progression
- Hold for 60 seconds per side
- Add a slight lateral flexion component (ear toward chest) at end range
- Perform contract-relax: gently push your head into your hand for 5 seconds, then relax and stretch deeper
- Use a tennis ball against a wall on the levator scapulae insertion point (medial scapula border) for trigger point release
Precautions
Safe when performed correctly and gently.
- The combined rotation + flexion position can compress the cervical foramina on the rotated side — patients with ipsilateral radiculopathy should rotate toward the painful side cautiously.
- Avoid aggressive hand overpressure — use the weight of the hand only.
- If you have upper cervical instability (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis involving C1-C2), perform with minimal pressure and reduced range.
- Stop if: the stretch reproduces or worsens arm pain, causes dizziness, or produces sharp localized pain.
Three ways to do the levator scapulae stretch
Start with the first version. Move to the others only if they feel comfortable. You should feel the stretch at the back and side of the neck, toward the top inner corner of the shoulder blade.
| Version | How | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Seated, chair hold (as in the video) | Hold the chair seat with the hand on the side being stretched. Turn your head about 45° away and look down toward the opposite armpit. Your other hand can rest on your head, but don’t pull.1 | Most people. Holding the chair keeps the shoulder blade down. |
| Lean-away | Same head position. Keep holding the chair and lean your body gently away from the side being stretched until you feel the stretch.1 | A stronger stretch with no pull on the head. |
| Arm-up | Same head position, but put the hand of the stretched side behind your head with the elbow pointing up, or rest the elbow high on a wall. This turns the shoulder blade upward. | Only if your shoulder is comfortable with the arm raised. |
Dose: NHS handouts leave hold times to your physical therapist.1 A common starting point is a 20–30 second hold, 2–3 times each side, once or twice a day. It should be a mild, comfortable stretch, not pain.
Levator scapulae stretch vs upper trapezius stretch
| Levator scapulae stretch | Upper trapezius stretch | |
|---|---|---|
| Head position | Turn toward the opposite armpit and look down | Tilt the ear toward the opposite shoulder, facing forward |
| Where you feel it | Back of the neck toward the top inner corner of the shoulder blade | Side of the neck and the top of the shoulder |
| Typical trigger | Holding a phone between ear and shoulder, a turned head at a desk | Shrugging, carrying bags, stress |
Many people with desk-related neck and shoulder tightness do both stretches.
Stretching works best with strengthening
For neck pain, the evidence and clinical guidelines generally favor exercise programs that combine stretching with strengthening of the neck and shoulder-blade muscles, rather than stretching alone.2,3 Good partners for this stretch are scapular squeezes, band rows, wall angels and chin tucks. The 4-week neck and posture reset puts them into a plan.
Why the levator scapulae gets tight
- Long spells in one position, especially with the head turned or poked forward at a screen or while driving.1
- Holding a phone between your ear and shoulder, or keeping the head twisted to watch TV.1
- Shrugging the shoulders under stress or when cold.
- Sleeping on too many pillows. One pillow shaped to support the neck is usually better.1
Change position regularly, and split long computer or cleaning tasks into shorter chunks.1
When to get it checked
- Pain spreading down the arm with tingling, numbness or weakness. See pinched nerve in the neck.
- Neck pain after a fall, a car accident or another injury.
- You feel dizzy during the stretch. Stop the stretch and don’t repeat it until you have had advice.1
- You cannot turn your head because of pain. It is not safe to drive.1
- Neck pain with fever, unexplained weight loss, or pain that is severe and constant.
For a medical emergency, call 911 (US and Canada), 999 (UK), 000 (Australia) or 112.
Frequently asked questions
How long should I hold a levator scapulae stretch?
About 20–30 seconds is a common starting point, repeated 2–3 times on each side. Your physical therapist may give you different times.
How do I know I am stretching the levator scapulae and not the trapezius?
For the levator scapulae, turn your head toward the opposite armpit and look down. You should feel it toward the top inner corner of your shoulder blade. Tilting your ear to your shoulder while facing forward mainly stretches the upper trapezius.
Should the stretch hurt?
No. Aim for a mild pull. Don’t pull on your head with your hand, and stop if you feel dizzy or get tingling down the arm.
Can a tight levator scapulae cause headaches?
Neck muscles and joints can contribute to some headaches, known as cervicogenic headaches. See tech neck and cervicogenic headache for a full program, and see a doctor about new, severe or unusual headaches.
How often should I do it?
Once or twice a day is typical, plus a quick stretch during long spells at a desk. Pair it with shoulder-blade strengthening 2–3 times a week.
Sources for this section
- Cambridge University Hospitals: Neck exercises and advice (includes the levator scapulae stretch)
- Blanpied PR, Gross AR, Elliott JM, et al. Neck pain: revision 2017. Clinical practice guidelines. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2017;47(7):A1–A83.
- Gross A, Kay TM, Paquin JP, et al. Exercises for mechanical neck disorders. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015;(1):CD004250.
Last checked October 2026. Found something out of date? Email hello@protocolarchive.com.
Related Exercises
Try next
Ylinen J, et al. Active neck muscle training in the treatment of chronic neck pain in women: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2003;289(19):2509-2516.
Simons DG, Travell JG, Simons LS. Travell & Simons’ Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction. 2nd ed. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 1999.
Binder AI. Cervical spondylosis and neck pain. BMJ. 2007;334(7592):527-531.
Find More Exercises
Browse the full Exercise Archive — 213 exercises with videos, organized by body region, type, and difficulty.