80 (191)

3.10.1C. Therapy for the sternocleidomas-toideus.

Slightly shortened muscle. Maximal stretching.

Starting Position: P: Supine; head and neck beyond end of couch with shoulders positioned at couch edge. T: Standing at the head end of the couch facing the left side of P's head.

Grip: Ts right hand grips P's chin (without pressing on the larynx). Ts right forearm supports the right side of P’s head against T’s chest. Ts left hand is placed over P’s right sternoclavicular joint and manubrium sterni.

Procedurę: Step one: Using this grip, T positions P’s occiput and atlas in ventral and lateral flexion to the left. The rest of P's cervical spine is then positioned in dorsal flexion. lateral flexion to the left and rotation to the right.

Step two: T then asks P to exhale while he/she presses P’s sternum and right clavicle caudally and dorsally. T then applies traction to P's cervical spine, and moves his/her body together with P's head. Step two is repeated until considerable improvement is achieved.

Stimulation of Antagonists: T moves left hand to the left side of P’s occiput, with the index linger hooked on P's mastoid process. T then asks P to look to the right, rearwards, and upwards, and then move his/her head further in the direction of stretching. T resists that movement to stimulate P’s antagonists.

Notes: It is important with this technique that P exhales as T stretches and inhales while resisting.

The finał position may move the vertebrae into a locked position.

Therefore, T must cautiously use successively smaller forces and movements in approaching the finał position.

Therapy for the sternocleidomastoideus should start with techniąue 3.10.1 A. p. 78, because P can easily feel which muscle is being treated. Even if P s sternocleidomastoideus is only moderately shortened, it is advisable to procede gradually from the techniąue of 3.10.1 A to this procedurę, 3.10.1C.

The techniąues of 3.10.1 are well suited to treating congenital torticollis.

Fig. 64 a. Starting Position.

Fig. 64 b. Finał Position.