Victor Forge
The sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle is a large muscle near the front of the neck, which is responsible for bending, turning and tilting the head. SCM syndrome refers to a range of symptoms resulting from irritation or dysfunction of the SCM muscles, including pain, tightness, swelling, bruising, muscle spasms, and restricted movement. SCM pain is often caused by muscle tension, repeated motions, or poor posture. To heal the SCM muscle, treatment options include massage, osteopathic manipulation, physical therapy, and surgery in severe cases. Lifestyle changes, such as stress management, improving posture, and specific neck stretches and strengthening exercises, can also help to heal and prevent SCM pain.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | The SCM muscle is located at the base of the skull, behind the ears, and runs down the front of the neck to the collarbone and breastbone. |
| Function | The SCM muscle allows for bending, turning, and tilting the head. It also helps with breathing, chewing, and stabilising the head during backward movements. |
| Pain Causes | Poor posture, stress, anxiety, trauma, repeated motions, and certain health conditions like asthma or pneumonia. |
| Symptoms | Pain, tightness, pressure, swelling, redness, bruising, muscle spasms, dizziness, vertigo, nausea, visual disturbances, and headaches. |
| Treatment | Massage, osteopathic manipulation, physical therapy, chiropractic care, stretching, lifestyle changes, pain management, and in severe cases, surgery. |
| Prevention | Managing stress, maintaining good posture, regular exercise, and proper sleep positioning are recommended. |
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What You'll Learn
Stretching and strengthening exercises
Stretching Exercises:
- Seated neck stretch: Sit up straight and tall, then reach your right hand over the top of your head and down across to the left side of your face with your fingertips.
- Shoulder shrug: Stand or sit up straight with good posture, then bring both shoulders up towards your ears. Hold for five seconds and release. Keep your chest lifted and avoid hunching forward.
- Slow head tilt: Stand or sit facing forward. Exhale and slowly turn your head to the right, keeping your shoulders relaxed and down. Inhale and return to the centre, then exhale and turn to look over your left shoulder. Do 10 rotations on each side.
- Ear-to-shoulder stretch: Sit or stand facing forward. Exhale and slowly tilt your right ear down towards your shoulder. Use your right hand to gently deepen the stretch. Hold for a few breaths, feeling the stretch from your neck down to your collarbone. Inhale and return to the starting position.
- Chin-to-chest stretch: Sit or stand with your shoulders relaxed. Slowly tuck your chin towards your chest, feeling a stretch in the back of your neck.
Strengthening Exercises:
- Yoga: Focus on poses that improve neck, shoulder, and upper back flexibility.
- Deep breathing: Incorporate deep breathing techniques to relax the neck muscles and reduce tension.
- Neck flexors: Strengthen the deep neck flexors as part of your overall neck strengthening plan.
- Targeted exercises: Include targeted exercises in your fitness routine to improve neck strength and mobility, such as isometric neck exercises.
It is important to prioritize proper form, listen to your body, and progress gradually to ensure the most effective and safe approach to SCM stretching and strengthening. Additionally, managing stress and maintaining good posture can also help heal and prevent SCM pain.
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Lifestyle changes
Posture
The SCM muscle can be affected by poor posture. To improve your posture, make sure that you are not craning your neck when using digital devices like cell phones and computers. Adjust the height of your computer monitor or phone so that you don't have to strain your neck to view the screen. Similarly, if you are reading, ensure that you are not straining your neck. If your job requires you to maintain an uncomfortable posture for long periods, speak with your healthcare provider about stretches that can protect your SCM muscle.
Sleep
Your sleep position can also affect your SCM muscle. Avoid sleeping on your stomach, and try to sleep on your back with a pillow supporting your neck.
Stress and Anxiety
SCM syndrome can be caused by stress and anxiety, so it is important to manage these through stress-relieving techniques such as meditation, relaxation, yoga, light bodyweight exercises, and breathing techniques. Regular exercise and adequate sleep can also help to manage stress.
Stretching
Daily neck stretches can help to prevent tension and strain that can lead to stiffness and pain in your SCM muscle. If you sit most of the day at work, neck stretches are highly recommended.
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Pain management
Sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle pain can be caused by muscle tension, performing repeated motions, or certain health conditions such as asthma and pneumonia. SCM pain can also be caused by tightness in another part of the body, resulting in referred pain in the SCM.
To manage pain in the SCM muscle, there are several interventions you can try:
- Rest: Allow your body to rest and recover by taking a break from activities that cause or worsen the pain.
- Ice and heat therapy: Apply ice packs or heat pads to the affected area to help reduce inflammation and soothe pain.
- Massage: Gently massage the SCM muscle to promote relaxation and release tension. Self-massage or seeking professional massage therapy can be beneficial.
- Exercise and stretching: Perform simple stretches or yoga poses specifically targeted at the neck and SCM muscle. Aim for at least 15 minutes per day of gentle exercises to improve flexibility and reduce muscle tension.
- Physical therapy: Seek the help of a physical therapist who can guide you through specific exercises to improve your posture and provide advice on daily activities to reduce SCM pain.
- Stress management: SCM pain can be triggered or worsened by stress and anxiety. Practice stress-relieving techniques such as meditation, relaxation techniques, yoga, and light exercises.
- Posture improvement: Maintain correct posture during daily activities to prevent straining the SCM muscle. This includes adjusting the height of your digital devices to avoid craning your neck.
- Sleep posture: Avoid sleeping on your stomach, as this can put unnecessary strain on your neck. Sleep on your back with a pillow that provides adequate support for your neck.
- Support during activities: When performing activities that require neck extension, such as looking up, support your neck by allowing your head to rest on a chair, the wall, or stacked blocks.
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Chiropractic care
Chiropractors use manual adjustments and other complementary therapies to restore proper alignment and function to the musculoskeletal system. They perform hands-on spinal adjustments, soft tissue manipulation, therapeutic stretching, and exercises to reduce irritation and inflammation in the SCM muscles and improve overall function. Spinal adjustments involve gently realigning joints to decrease pain and increase the range of motion. Soft-tissue therapy helps relax tight muscles, relieve spasms, and release tension in the connective tissue surrounding each muscle (fascia). Therapeutic stretching and exercises restore and maintain joint stability and mobility.
Chiropractors may also recommend lifestyle changes to prevent future flare-ups and recurrences, such as improving posture, nutrition, diet, weight, and stress management. They may also suggest electrical muscle stimulation using transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulators (TENS) to help manage pain and muscle stimulation.
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Surgery
SCM surgery is most often carried out in response to a traumatic rupture of the muscle, which can occur following an epileptic seizure or significant trauma, such as a motor vehicle collision. In such cases, surgery may be necessary to prevent subsequent restrictive deformities from developing. Examples of SCM surgical procedures include unipolar release, Z-plasty, transaxillary endoscopic release, and muscle resection.
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, NASA performed an experiment in which they surgically cut the SCM muscles of primates to observe the impact on their balance. The primates experienced difficulty walking and staying upright, confirming the SCM's role in providing proprioceptive information to maintain normal balance. This experiment would likely be considered unethical today.
It is important to note that SCM surgery is not a common treatment and that non-surgical interventions are often effective in managing acute sternocleidomastoid rupture. A combination of analgesia and intensive physiotherapy, for example, has been shown to successfully treat ruptured SCM muscles.
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Frequently asked questions
The SCM is a large muscle near the front of the neck. It extends from just under the ear and jaw down to the collarbone. It is responsible for allowing you to bend your neck and turn or tilt your head.
SCM pain typically results from muscle tension or performing repeated motions. It can also occur with certain health conditions, such as asthma and pneumonia. SCM pain can manifest as dull, aching pain, tightness or pressure, and sharp pain when turning or tilting the head.
To heal SCM pain, you can try various treatments, including lifestyle changes, pain management techniques, physical therapy, and chiropractic care. Lifestyle changes involve improving your posture, especially when sitting for long periods, and avoiding straining your neck. Pain management techniques include rest, ice, heat, and anti-inflammatory medications. Physical therapy and chiropractic care can help with stretching, strengthening, and realigning the neck and spine. Additionally, stress management through yoga, meditation, and relaxation techniques can help reduce muscle tension.
