If you suffer with tension in your neck and shoulders you might have coat hanger pain—here’s how to combat it

Constantly dealing with tension and discomfort in your shoulders and upper back?

You might be experiencing something known as coat hanger pain, according to physical therapist Sophie Coombes.

“Coat hanger pain is a dull, achy tension across your upper traps, neck and shoulders,” she explains. “It’s caused by weak scapular stabilizers, poor posture, a forward head position and stress, all of which put extra load on your neck and upper traps.”

It’s a common issue for desk-based workers who spend too much time hunched over their laptops.

The best way to offset this type of pain, other than changing your desk setup or the length of time you spend at it, is by strengthening and mobilizing the muscles and joints in this area of the body.

Coombes recommends a specific exercise that strengthens the trapezius muscles, which span your upper back, shoulders and neck. The exercise is the prone lying banded scapular row.

How to do a prone lying banded scapular row

You’ll need a long resistance band for this move and a fixed surface to attach it to. You could use a sofa or a heavy table.

• Lie on your front, with the resistance band hooked around a fixed surface, and the ends of the band in your hands. Your arms should be extended and your head held off the floor.
• Pull the band towards you, bending your elbows and lifting your torso up.
• Return to the prone position with control.

Take a look at Coombes' video above where she demonstrates how to do the exercise with the correct form.

She suggests completing 10 to 15 slow, controlled reps for two to three sets.

“Do this three to four times a week consistently to start seeing relief in shoulder and neck tension,” she says.

Why strengthening your back can help with coat hanger pain

You might assume that a good massage or a juicy stretch is the only way to relieve muscle and joint pain, but strength work is a better long-term solution.

That’s because muscle and joint pain is often caused by weaknesses in certain areas of the body. In this case, coat hanger pain can be caused by weak trapezius muscles.

Strengthening them with this move will therefore “help to take the pressure off your neck by getting the right muscles to do their job,” according to Coombes.