Sternocleidomastoid - Not a Dinosaur. A Pain in the Neck
Today we are going to look at the sternocleidomastoid.
No, we haven’t started writing about dinosaurs!
The sternocleidomastoid (SCM) is one of our neck muscles and an important one at that.
It runs from behind your ears, down the front of you neck and attaches at your collarbone and sternum (chest).
It rotates ours head from side to side,
Allows us to dip our ear toward our shoulder,
Bends our neck forward (chin to chest),
Stabilises our head when we drop it backward, and
Help with chewing.
Photo by Hank Grebe/iStock / Getty Images
What happens if I have tight SCMs?
Tight or painful SCMs can cause
Pain in the jaw, neck, back of the head, ear, cheek or teeth,
Tension headaches,
Stiffness,
Dizziness and
Many others.
Photo by Aleksej Sarifulin/iStock / Getty Images
What causes tight SCMs?
Like most of the tight muscles we talk about, tight SCMs can be caused by poor posture and excessive laptop, tablet and phone use.
It can also be caused by
Sleeping on our front with our head turned to one side,
Sudden neck movements,
Tight collars and ties,
Overhead work (looking up for extended periods),
Carrying heavy objects in awkward positions (including children), and
Injuries or trauma (such as whiplash or falls).
Do I have tight SCMs?
While the best way to check this is with a health professional while lying on a table, there are some indicators that you can look for.
A tight SCM can result in a forward-head posture. Looking from the side, you can generally see that the majority of the head is forward of the centreline.
So I have tight SCMs, what can I do?
Firstly, if you are suffering pain, there are many medical causes, so please consult your health professional for advice. Additionally, here are some things you can do to help prevent tight SCMs.
Mobility
Head Tilts
Sit or stand facing forward.
Tilt your left ear toward your left shoulder.
To deepen the stretch, you can reach your right arm out to the side (about 45 degrees down toward the ground) or gently place your left hand on your head and apply a gentle pressure.
Hold for a couple of seconds and repeat on the other wide.
https://www.healthline.com/health/sternocleidomastoid-pain#exercises
Self-Myofascial Release / Self-Massage
SCM Self-Massage
Gently grab the SCM while turning your head in the opposite direction.
Apply pressure by gently squeezing it. Stop if you feel pain.
Ball on the Neck
Use the same ball but make small circles on your neck and the top of your shoulders. Remembering to only roll on muscle (and not bone).
If you find a trigger point, gently push down on it for about 30-45 seconds
Yoga
Cat-Cow pose
Start on all fours (tabletop position). Hips over knees. Shoulders of elbows.
Inhale. Starting from the pelvis. Tilt the tailbone up. Let you stomach sink. Pull your chest forward. Lift your head.
Exhale. Tilt tailbone down. Draw your belly button to your spine. Round the spine. Chin to chest.
Repeat as you breathe.
Triangle Pose
Standing with your feet wider than your hips, face your left toes to the side (while your right toes face forward).
Raise your arms so they’re parallel to the floor, palms down.
Hinge at your right hips as you extend the right fingers forward.
Lower the right hand to the right leg or block.
Place your left hand on your hip or extend it toward the ceiling.
Look down or look up (depending on which feel more comfortable with your neck).
Lengthen your spine and engage your core.
Repeat on the other side.
Conclusion
The sternocleidomastoid (SCM) is one of our neck muscles. Tight or painful SCMs can be caused by constant staring at laptops & phones and can result in pain in the jaw, neck, back of the head, ear, cheek or teeth, tension headaches, stiffness, dizziness and many others issues.
Try some of these exercises to help loosen your SCMs.
You can also get your FREE 2 week Recharge trial and we’ll go through these techniques with you.
The EVERYDAY can lead to wrists and forearms.
Come to Recharge and Move BEYOND the EVERYDAY.
[i] https://www.healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/tricep-stretches#1
[ii] https://www.spearsstrong.com/blog/2017/7/10/muscle-of-the-month-triceps
[iii] https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/triceps-tear#1
[iv] https://www.muscle-joint-pain.com/trigger-points/trigger-point-self-treatment/triceps/
[v] https://www.spearsstrong.com/blog/2017/7/10/muscle-of-the-month-triceps
[vi] https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a19516133/tricep-smash/