Sternocleidomastoid (SCM) – Stretching

Joe Muscolino

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    The right-side sternocleidomastoid is stretched by extending the neck and flexing the head in the sagittal plane, and left laterally flexing (in the frontal plane) and right rotating (in the transverse plane) the head and neck at the spinal joints.

     

    Notes:

    • In effect, the SCM is stretched by extending the neck at the spinal joints but flexing the head at the atlanto-occipital joint; and opposite-side (contralaterally) laterally flexing and same-side (ipsilaterally) rotating the neck and head at the spinal joints (including the atlanto-occipital joint).
    • The SCM is challenging to target for stretching because it crosses the spinal joints of the neck anteriorly so it flexes the neck, but because it crosses the atlanto-occipital joint posteriorly, it extends the head at the atlanto-occipital joint. Therefore, to effectively stretch it, we need to have the client extend the neck but tuck their chin to flex the head at the atlanto-occipital joint.

     

    The right-side sternocleidomastoid is stretched by extending the neck and flexing the head in the sagittal plane, and left laterally flexing (in the frontal plane) and right rotating (in the transverse plane) the head and neck at the spinal joints. 

    The right-side sternocleidomastoid is stretched by extending the neck and flexing the head in the sagittal plane, and left laterally flexing (in the frontal plane) and right rotating (in the transverse plane) the head and neck at the spinal joints.