Tight upper traps - rounded shoulders,forward head,clicking knees

Hello, i seem to be making progress with my clicking maltracking knees/knee tendonitis as i think all of my focus on my hips was wrong and MAYBE the problem was as much to do with the kyphosis in my upper body in the form of rounded shoulders and forward head. (to much cycling, chest work, sitting and driving)

I've been doing alot of upper trap and lat stretches and it seems to have stopped my knees clicking so much when flexed at horizontal. So maybe it was half the shoulders causing the APT. I notice if i sleep on my back my knees click more the following morning.

When i massage my upper traps near the shoulder theres enough discomfort to cause me to cringe and if i feel under my left armpit theres a muscle or tendon that feels so tight its like a guitar string so i'm thinking thats my lats ?? Also my anterior delts feel tender and tight.

My collar bones are at around 45 degrees. What angle should they generally be at? ie, can i use them as a guide to see if i'm making progress ? Should i keep massaging my upper traps until the pain from massaging dissapears and any good massage videos?

Also any help with the rounded shoulders and forward head much appreciated.

Thanks for any help ! (if i make more progress i hope to come back with my thoughts on this as i figure it might help somebody as i've been doing so many different exercises and stretches now)

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PS, I have bony lumps below my knees that feel sore after running and whenever i carry something heavy my back tends to lean back.

Thanks

Hello Soreknees!

Sounds like you have a few things going on here. I'll start form the top and wont concentrate too much on the clicking knees if you are making progress and have no idea why they would click more if you sleep on your back, would need more detail on how you sleep and what feels stiff the next day.

the tendon in your armpit, could be your lats, depends on how far you are going. It could also be your subscapularis which I find is commonly tight on people with 'rounded shoulders' You could keep massaging yourself but I think its difficult to perform, I would see someone about massage in that area if you can, I am sure your scalanes and neck flexors are also tight but you need someone to do this for oyu, you cant do it yourself. However, the problem must be stemming form where else. I would massage your upper pecs, just below the collar bone. I'm sure they will be tight. However don't apply too much pressure. Not sure the angle of your collar bones has much to do with anything.

Forward head posture and rounded shoulders can be due to loads of reasons, tight chest and neck which I said you need to see someone about, weakness in the back which you could work on in the gym if you know how to do it properly, and postural exercises. 'Balooning is a good technique developed by Joanne Elphinston. Here is a basic video about what it entails, really simple What's a Helium Balloon got to do with good posture?! - YouTube. Try that. Posture should be easy to maintain and natural as the person describes.

Boney lumps below your knees that are sore after running sounds like Osgood schlatters disease to me (don't be scared by the word disease). However its usually in 12-16 year olds but doesn't mean you can't have a tibial apophysitis which is the technical name. Unfortunately you have to rest if you have that. And if you have to lean back when you carry something heavy you need to work on your core strength. Go see someone!!

Sorry I can't help more but you need specific treatment and I seriously think you need to see someone at least once before you try self treatment.

All the best with it.

Ben