Neck Trigger Points and Exercises: Video Guide

Neck trigger points often sit behind a stiff, sore neck and shoulder, and a short check of how the neck turns and tilts helps show whether a muscle, a joint or a disc is involved. Trigger points are tight, tender bands within muscle that hurt under pressure and can refer pain elsewhere: a band near the shoulder blade may be felt in the arm, and one at the base of the skull may be felt as a headache.

In this video, Yama Zafer, D.C., explains which muscles are usually involved, including the trapezius and rhomboids, how turning and tilting the neck can point to a joint or disc as well as a muscle, and how gentle trigger point work, W-T-L exercises and isometric holds are done once a healthcare provider has checked them.

This video guide to neck trigger points and exercises, with a full walkthrough, is published by Chiropractic Specialty Center, Bukit Damansara (KL) main center: WhatsApp+60 17 269 1873 Call+603 2093 1000

Neck Trigger Points: Key Takeaways

PointWhat to know

Muscle first

Neck issues often start as a muscle problem; if that goes on long enough, the joints and then the discs can become involved.

The muscles involved

The trapezius, from the base of the skull to below the rib cage, and the rhomboids between the shoulder blades and the spine.

A quick movement check

Discomfort on the side the head turns toward can point to a joint; discomfort in the upper back when the head tilts up and down can point to a joint or a disc.

Gentle pressure

Trigger point work on the trapezius and rhomboids uses light pressure for a few seconds per point, away from the front of the neck, the top of the shoulder and the shoulder blade itself.

W-T-L exercises

Shoulders pushed down, shoulder blades squeezed and chest open, each position held about five seconds and repeated five to 15 times.

Isometric holds

The head pushes against the person's own hand, forward, back and to each side, without moving; numbness or tingling means the exercise is not suitable yet.

Check first

Every technique and exercise in the video is to be shown to a healthcare provider before it is tried at home.

Neck Trigger Points: Page Guide & Key Sections

Key Moments in This Neck Trigger Points and Exercises Video

Use these timestamps to follow the video from start to finish:

  • 00:00 What causes neck issues: muscle, joint, or disc involvement
  • 01:15 Neck anatomy: trapezius, rhomboids, and upper-back muscles
  • 02:32 How to check neck movement and possible restriction
  • 04:04 Why neck symptoms may feel muscular even when other tissues are involved
  • 05:06 Gentle trigger point work for the trapezius
  • 06:19 Safety: areas to avoid around the neck and shoulder
  • 07:12 Trigger point work along the shoulder blade and rhomboids
  • 08:47 Why trigger point work should never be uncomfortable
  • 10:02 Gentle exercises, checked with your healthcare provider first
  • 10:31 W-T-L exercises: the W position for the rhomboids
  • 12:22 T exercise for chest opening and upper-back control
  • 12:58 L exercise for the lower rhomboids
  • 13:29 Neck isometric exercises using your own hand for resistance
  • 14:09 Isometric holds for the back and sides of the neck
  • 15:24 Closing advice: supervised exercises and your healthcare provider

What This Neck Trigger Points and Exercises Video Explains

This video explains how neck issues may begin with muscle tightness, trigger points, fascia strain, poor posture, and reduced control of the shoulder blades. The trapezius and rhomboids are discussed because both muscles influence the way the neck and upper back move together.

The video also explains why neck pain is not always “just muscle.” Joint restriction, nerve irritation, and spinal disc involvement can sometimes feel similar, which is why careful observation matters before pressing, stretching, or exercising the neck area.

The practical part of the video includes gentle trigger point work, safety areas to avoid, the W-T-L movement sequence, and simple neck isometric exercises. The goal is to understand the role of muscles and posture without using aggressive pressure or forceful neck movements.

Arranging an Assessment for Neck Trigger Points

To arrange an assessment for neck trigger points or recurring neck and shoulder pain, see the Bukit Damansara contact page and the Bandar Sri Damansara contact page, or call either center directly:

The first visit begins with a history and an examination of how the neck and shoulders move, which muscles, joints or nerves are involved, and whether imaging is needed, before any care is discussed.

Find both centers on Google Maps: Bukit Damansara (KL, main center) and Bandar Sri Damansara.

If this video was useful, you may also like our pages on ear ringing (tinnitus) and tinnitus and the neck. Our neck pain guide brings our neck, upper back and arm topics together in one place.

The fees for the first examination and for care at both centers are listed on the chiropractic fees in Kuala Lumpur and physiotherapy price in Kuala Lumpur pages.

Neck Trigger Points Video: Chapter Summaries and Edited Transcript

Each chapter below opens to a short summary and the edited transcript of that part of the video, with its start time. The video is also on YouTube, alongside the rest of the Chiropractic Specialty Center channel.

What Causes Neck Issues? Muscle, Joint, or Disc Involvement (00:00)

Summary: Neck issues often start as a muscle problem; if that goes on long enough, the joints and then the spinal discs become involved. Disc bulge, disc protrusion, disc herniation, and slipped disc are mentioned as common descriptive terms, but the video focuses mainly on how muscles can influence neck movement early on.

Edited transcript: Neck problems impact millions, and if you're one of them, you want to watch this video in its entirety. Neck issues often present or start with muscular problems. If that goes on long enough, it impacts joints, and as it progresses, it leads to spinal disc issues. Common spinal disc issues are those known as a disc bulge, a disc protrusion, a disc herniation. I'm sure some of you may have heard them. Other terms for them include slip discs. These are all descriptive terms, but what I want you to gather from this video is that it often starts as a muscular problem. In this video, I will cover the muscular origins of a neck issue and then, closer to the end of the video, if you're still around, you will learn some simple things that you can do at home with the help of a friend or a significant other to help you relieve some of that symptom as you wait before you go and visit your healthcare provider. Now, back to the muscles. Let me put this down.

Summary: Yama Zafer, D.C. uses an anatomy model to explain the muscles in the front, side, and back of the neck. The video then focuses on the trapezius and rhomboid muscles because they play an important role in shoulder blade control, neck posture, and upper-back movement.

Edited transcript: I will use my friend George here to explain certain things, starting with the muscles. As mentioned, there are muscles in front of the neck, and these muscles connect everything that you see. Let me move to the side. From here, down here, these are the muscles that allow you to tilt your head and neck forward. Let me rotate George. There are muscles on the side, from here to the shoulders. And then there are muscles at the back of the neck, and these are the ones that we are going to concentrate on, specifically the trapezius muscle. It is a muscle that starts at the base of the skull and goes all the way down to the rib cage, below the rib cage, I should say, and the rhomboids that connect the shoulder blades. Now, the trapezius muscles are perhaps the most important of all of them. They're all important! It's not that one is more critical than the other. And in this video, I'm presenting the trapezius as an important muscle because at the end of the video, I will show you things that you can do at home to help loosen some of that tightness.

Summary: This section explains how turning the head and tilting the neck may give clues about whether muscle tightness, joint restriction, or disc involvement may be influencing movement. The video also explains that neck rotation should feel balanced from one side to the other.

Edited transcript: Let's say you turn your head and neck to the left. Oh, sorry. This is to the right. When you turn your head and neck to the right side, the discomfort could be on this side, or it could be on the right side. When you turn to the right, if you experience any discomfort on the same side you're turning to, it could be a joint involvement. Yes. A joint involvement can happen simultaneously with a muscle problem, or as some progression of a muscle problem that now is impacting the joint. Another movement that you need to make is tilting your head and neck up and down. If you tilt your head and neck up and down and you sense discomfort specifically in the upper back or one of the shoulder blades, that usually means either a joint or a disc involvement. Now, going back to the movements, when you turn to the right and when you turn to the left, they should be equal in both directions. Yes. Your range of movement should be balanced. If you have restrictions on one side versus the other side, it could be muscular or joint involvements. Now, if you stick around, in a moment I will go over two to three manual techniques that you or a friend with you can do to help decrease some of the symptoms. But before I go there, let me move George out of the way so I can explain some more things for you.

Summary: The video explains that neck symptoms can sometimes feel like a muscle pull even when joints, nerves, or spinal discs may also be involved. This section also explains why online advice should be followed carefully, especially when the cause has not been checked.

Edited transcript: When you're on YouTube, you will see a lot of videos in which practitioners, be it chiropractors, physiotherapists or masseuses, talk about things that you can do at home to help your neck feel better. Now, some of these videos I have seen, and I have disliked, not that they're bad, but they should not be advising everyone to do those things. Because everything in the neck, whether it is a joint problem, a nerve problem or a disc problem, all of them at times feel as though they're muscular. And oftentimes patients will say, I feel like a pulling sensation in my neck. Yes, that feeling could be distracting you from the actual cause. We'll go over trigger points that you can incorporate. However, whatever I show you, do not do until you have shown it to your physician, to your doctor, to your healthcare provider.

Summary: This section shows where the trapezius and rhomboid fibers run and why they become strained after long hours at a desk, on a laptop or looking down at a phone. The demonstration starts on the trapezius with a gentle amount of pressure held for a few seconds and slight circular movements, with the person looking straight ahead.

Edited transcript: Now I'm going to move to the front so I can show you what you need to do. We are going to only concentrate on the muscles here. These are the trapezius muscle fibers that run this way, and the rhomboids that connect the shoulder blades here, not close to the spine or the spinous processes. Somewhere between the shoulder blade and there, but gently. And you want to relieve these, especially if you're sitting at a desk all day on your laptop or you are looking down at your cell phone. These get strained. Pulled! Stressed, trigger points, myofascial points, all of which can be released. First, let's start with the trapezius muscle. What I'm going to do is, I am going to apply a gentle amount of pressure, is that uncomfortable, and I'm going to hold it there for a few seconds. At the same time, I can do slight circular movements. This will help break down some adhesions in those fibers. And this, of course, is done without having the person tilt their head and neck, just looking straight ahead.

Summary: This section explains why the work stays away from the front of the shoulder and does not go past the top of the shoulder, where the artery, the vein and the nerves of the brachial plexus run. Pressure stays light: small circular movements or a short hold of a few seconds at each point, with no deep tissue massage.

Edited transcript: But care must be taken to make sure that you're not going from this point forward. In other words, you don't want to do manual therapy on the muscles in the front of the shoulder or past the top of the shoulder, which is here. There are critical tissues there, the artery, the vein, the nerve, the brachial plexus. And I don't want you to be anywhere near that. Small circular movements. You can use your finger, a little knuckle, not too much pressure! Three to four seconds. Move away to the next point. Move away. And sometimes you can just hold it. That is enough to release that muscle. Yes, you don't need a lot of pressure. You don't need deep tissue massage. Just a little bit of stimulation onto the muscles and the nerves that control that muscle. You hold it for two, three seconds as the patient is further relaxed and you move to the next point.

Summary: The video moves to the shoulder blade and shows how to find the rhomboid area without pressing on the bone or pushing too deep near the ribs. The strokes follow the up-and-down direction of the fibers, about five to 10 seconds at each point, working the upper, middle and lower fibers on both sides.

Edited transcript: Once you're finished with the trapezius muscles at the top of the shoulder here, you can continue onto the shoulder blade. Similar methods, and then come the rhomboids; feel around the bony parts. You can have the person bring their hand on top of the opposite shoulder. That stretches the rhomboid muscles a bit more and makes it easier for you to identify the edge of the shoulder blade, because you don't want to press on the shoulder blade, which is right here, because that's a very, very sensitive point. You want to be on the muscle. But keep in mind, there are ribs here, so you don't want to go too deep. Again, very gentle pressure. Very gentle pressure. You go up and down. Here we went circular. Here we go up and down, because these muscle fibers run this way, up and down. I'm going fast to save you time, but ideally I would say about five to 10 seconds at each point, and while you do it, it has to be comfortable. You can move. As you can see, I have my other hand at the edge of her shoulder blade, the scapula, so I know where that border is, and I don't want to get close to that, because it'll be uncomfortable for her. So, get the upper fibers and I move down. Get to the lower fibers, middle fibers. All of these fibers, and keep working all of these, and this should actually feel very soothing for her. And you do the same on the opposite side, and I hope that will help alleviate some of the discomfort that you're feeling.

Summary: The video explains why this work should always feel comfortable: a person in discomfort tenses up, which works against the effort, while a relaxed person benefits more. Light pressure also avoids damaging the small nerves and vessels in the skin and muscles, for younger people, older people and anyone in general.

Edited transcript: And you have to be very, very careful. You don't want it to be too deep. You don't want to be punishing the person that you're doing this for. You want to stay gentle. It should be a pleasant experience. It should not be uncomfortable. Trigger point and myofascial work should never be uncomfortable, because if you're uncomfortable, what are you going to do? You're going to tense up, counteracting the very efforts that you're putting into it. So the person that you do this on must be in a relaxed state; if they're relaxed, they will benefit more. So you have to make sure you do not press deep. The good point about not going too deep is that you will not damage tissues beneath the muscle or beneath the skin. Our skin and our muscles are packed with nerves and vessels. Some of these nerves are microscopic, as are some of the capillaries. Too much pressure can damage them! So care must be taken that it is applied very lightly, especially when you're doing this for a younger person, for an older person, or for anyone in general.

Summary: Before the exercises begin, the video explains that only gentle exercises are shown, and that each one should still be checked with your doctor or healthcare provider to make sure it is right for you. Marcus joins to demonstrate them.

Edited transcript: Alright, it's time to show you the exercises I promised. Now, unlike others, I will not show exercises that are too aggressive. I will show you the gentle exercises that I believe will not be harmful for you. Even though these may not harm you, you still need to have them checked out by your doctor, by your healthcare provider, to make sure they're right for you. I have Marcus here with me. He is going to help me demonstrate these exercises.

Summary: The W-T-L sequence starts with the W position: arms in a W, shoulders pushed down rather than shrugged up, shoulder blades squeezed together and the chest pushed out. The video explains that the rhomboids connect the shoulder blade to the spine and that the upper back is the foundation for the neck; the hold is five seconds, or three if that is too much, repeated five to 15 times.

Edited transcript: The first set of exercises that I will go over with you is the W, T and L exercises, and here's how you do them. So what I want all of you to do, when you have these exercises appropriate for you, is to get your arms in the W position. Now, many times people... let me stand in front of Marcus, so I'm not covering you. Now, many times when people get into this position, they shrug up the shoulders. This is the wrong way of doing it, because you compress the joints in your neck. Here we want to bring the shoulders down. In fact, actually push them down a little bit more, freeing up these muscles. The goal here is to strengthen the rhomboid muscles. You have the rhomboid minor up on top and the major down below. And the rhomboid muscles connect your shoulder blade to the spine. So when we strengthen these muscles, the neck is more stable, because the upper back is the foundation for the neck. The good news about this exercise is that, when done properly, it not only strengthens the rhomboids, both minor and major, but it also expands and stretches your pectoralis muscles in the front of the body. Now, if I can have you, Marcus, push your shoulders down, squeeze your shoulder blades together, squeezing this, you're contracting the rhomboid here. And at the same time, push out your chest, squeeze, push out your chest to stretch these muscles, and hold for five seconds, or three seconds if it's too much, and then relax. Repeat this between five and 15 times, depending on what is good for you and what your healthcare provider may recommend.

Summary: The T position helps open the chest while activating muscles around the shoulder blades. The video explains how the chest muscles and upper-back muscles work together during posture control.

Edited transcript: Now, the next one is the T exercise. Similar in fashion. Now, palms towards the wall. I'm sorry, open your hands, drop down the shoulders again, squeeze and stretch. This does two things: it stretches the pec muscles, the chest muscles, opens them up really well, and at the same time contracts and fires the rest of the rhomboids. Similar to the W position, you hold for five seconds, repeat five to 15 times, and then rest. And then the last one. Let him take a break. He's got big arms, so I'm sure holding it up is not easy.

Summary: The L position focuses on shoulder blade control and the lower rhomboid region. The movement is shown as a controlled posture exercise rather than a forceful stretch.

Edited transcript: Now we'll do the L exercise. Thumbs... perfect position. Shoulders down, push them down. Squeeze. With this one, you are doing more for the rhomboid major, down in here between the shoulder blades. And that squeeze, with expansion of the chest, strengthens this muscle. You hold again for five seconds. Repeat 10 to 15 times and rest.

Summary: Isometric means the muscle contracts without the neck moving. The first exercise works the front of the neck: your own hand against your forehead, never someone else's, held for five seconds and repeated five to 15 times.

Edited transcript: Now, can I have you, Marcus, turn and face the side? Other exercises are isometric, meaning there's contraction, but no mobility, no movement. So first we are going to do the flexors. So he's got his own hand against his forehead. He's going to push and resist with his own hand. Do not get someone else to push on you. It has to be your own hand. And then you hold that for five seconds. Repeat five, five to 10 times, 15 times if you're able to, and then relax. Now drop your hand down; you repeat that again, five to 15 times.

Summary: The same idea is used for the back of the neck, with the fingers interlocked behind the head, and then for each side. Each hold lasts about five seconds; numbness, tingling, pain or discomfort means the exercise is not right for you yet and should not be done.

Edited transcript: And then after that we do the opposite: the muscles in the back, agonist and antagonist. We did it for the frontal muscles. Now we strengthen these, interlocking. Can I have you turn, interlocking the fingers at the back of the skull and tilting the head back, resisting with your own hands? Hold for five seconds. Now, this may cause numbness and tingling, and if it does, you're not ready for this. After this, drop it down. Now, if I can have you face front. Now we are going to do the side muscles. Here, pressure this way. So you're forcing your head and neck there, but you're resisting any movement. Again, it should not be uncomfortable. Relax; it should not be painful. And if you have any numbness, any discomfort, you shouldn't do it. Hold time for this is five seconds. Repetitions: between five and 15, depending on your needs and your condition. And then, of course, we want to do the same thing on the opposite side. Resist, hold five seconds, three seconds if you're unable to hold for five seconds, and rest.

Summary: The video closes by noting that many other exercises exist but should only be done in a supervised setting, for example with a physiotherapist or alongside chiropractic care, and that even these gentle ones should only be done after you consult your healthcare provider.

Edited transcript: And these are the exercises. So aside from these, there are many other exercises that can be done, but they should only be done in a supervised setting, perhaps with your physiotherapist or with your chiropractic adjustments. But even these that I believe are safe, you should not do unless you consult your healthcare provider. Until we meet, stay blessed wherever you are. Good afternoon, good evening, and good morning. Thank you for joining me. I'm Yama Zafer. I'm a chiropractor, and I hope this helped.

Related Spine & Joint Pages in Kuala Lumpur

  1. Neck Issues & Non-Surgical Care Options in KL, PJ & Selangor: This article goes in depth into the causes of neck issues and the care options, including the lifestyle changes most often needed.
  2. Chiropractor in Kuala Lumpur with Physiotherapy: Explains how chiropractic, physiotherapy, and rehabilitation may be combined for spine, joint, posture, and movement concerns.
  3. Chiropractor in Bandar Sri Damansara With or Without Physiotherapy: Helpful for readers looking for neck-related chiropractic and physiotherapy care options in Kuala Lumpur.
  4. Physiotherapy in KL & Malaysia: Covers physiotherapy-based care for movement, muscle, joint, posture, and rehabilitation needs.
  5. Spine & Joint Rehabilitation in Kuala Lumpur: Explains structured rehabilitation for posture, shoulder blade control, strengthening, and daily function.
  6. Slip Disc Care in Kuala Lumpur: Useful for readers who want to understand spinal disc involvement when neck or upper-back symptoms are not purely muscular.
  7. Cervical Spondylosis Care in Kuala Lumpur: Helpful for readers who want to understand how age-related neck joint and disc degeneration may influence stiffness, posture, movement, and nerve-related symptoms.
  8. Spondylolisthesis Care in Kuala Lumpur: Explains how vertebral slippage may affect spinal loading, posture, nerve irritation, and movement patterns in the neck or lower back.

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FAQs About Neck Trigger Points and Exercises (Video)

These questions highlight key points explained in the video.

What does the neck trigger points video explain?

The video explains how neck issues often begin with tight muscles, mainly the trapezius and the rhomboids, how a simple check of turning and tilting the neck can point to a joint or a disc as well, and how gentle trigger point work, W-T-L exercises and isometric holds are done once a healthcare provider has checked them.

Can trigger points make the neck feel stiff?

Trigger points in the trapezius and upper-back muscles can add to stiffness, a pulling sensation and reduced movement. The video adds a caution: joint, nerve and disc problems in the neck can feel muscular too, which is why the cause is checked before anyone presses on or exercises the area.

Why are the rhomboids discussed in a neck video?

The rhomboids connect the shoulder blades to the spine. When they are weak, the shoulders round forward and the upper back gives the neck a poorer base to work from. Strengthening them with the W-T-L positions makes the upper back, the foundation for the neck, more stable.

How much pressure should be used on neck trigger points?

Very little. The video uses a fingertip or knuckle with gentle pressure for a few seconds per point, sometimes simply holding it, and keeps away from the front of the neck and the top of the shoulder, where arteries, veins and the brachial plexus run. The work should feel pleasant and never uncomfortable.

How are the W-T-L exercises done?

The arms form a W, then a T, then an L, with the shoulders pushed down rather than shrugged, the shoulder blades squeezed together and the chest open. Each position is held for about five seconds, or three if that is too much, and repeated five to 15 times.

What are isometric neck exercises?

Isometric exercises contract the neck muscles without moving the head. The person pushes the head against their own hand, forward, back and to each side, and holds for about five seconds. Numbness, tingling or discomfort during these holds means the exercise is not suitable for that person yet.

Are the exercises suitable for everyone?

The video presents them as gentle exercises, but each one is to be checked with a healthcare provider first, because neck symptoms can come from joints, nerves or discs as well as muscles. Numbness, tingling, spreading symptoms or worsening pain are reasons to stop and have the neck assessed.

Disclaimer

This video is provided for general education only. The information shared is not a diagnosis, medical advice, or a substitute for an in-person assessment by a qualified healthcare provider.

Do not try any manual technique, trigger point work, stretching, or exercise shown in the video if the movement causes pain, numbness, tingling, dizziness, weakness, symptoms spreading into the arm, or any change that feels unusual for you.

Neck-related symptoms can involve muscles, joints, nerves, spinal discs, posture habits, or other health factors. A proper assessment is important before starting any home exercise or manual method, especially when symptoms are persistent, worsening, or linked with arm symptoms, balance changes, headache, recent injury, or other concerning signs.

The exercises and demonstrations in this video should be performed gently and only within a comfortable range. Stop immediately and seek guidance from a qualified healthcare provider if any symptom increases or feels unsafe.

Sudden severe dizziness, slurred speech, facial droop, loss of vision, or new difficulty swallowing are emergency signs and need emergency care straight away. Progressive arm weakness or spreading numbness should not be ignored and should be assessed promptly by a competent provider; conservative care may still be a reasonable route once that assessment is done.

The Author of Neck Trigger Points: Causes and Exercise Video

Neck Trigger Points: Causes and Exercise Video was written by Yama Zafer, D.C., who has 30+ years in chiropractic and physiotherapy and founded Chiropractic Specialty Center in Kuala Lumpur in 2006.

Last Updated: Neck Trigger Points and Exercises: Video Guide

Neck Trigger Points and Exercises: Video Guide was last reviewed and updated on October 4, 2026.