Soft Tissue-Cervical

Question 1

Cervical Traction, Supine

Answer 1

• One hand cradles occiput
• Other hand grasps gently below chin(avoid squeezing the chin) -Keep head neutral or slightly flexed. Avoid extension
• Exert cephalad traction slowly and rhythmically with both hands, gradually increasing amplitudes.
• Continue until desired soft tissue or disc response or 2-5 minutes

Question 2

Cervical Forward Bending (Unilateral Fulcrum), Supine

Answer 2

• Use one hand to flex patient’s neck in order to slide the other arm under patient’s head with hand palm down on opposite shoulder
• Keeping the neck in flexion, rotate the patient’s head toward and away from the elbow of the arm that is under the patient’s head to assess for the direction of tension.
• Rotate the patient’s head toward the direction of tension. A rhythmical pattern to the technique or a constant force is applied until tissue is softer and lengthened.
• Repeat on opposite side of cervical spinal tissue

Question 3

Cervical Forward Bending (Bilateral Fulcrum), Supine

Answer 3

• Arms are crossed under patient’s head and hands placed palm down on patient’s shoulders
• Flex patient’s neck to induce a longitudinal stretch of the paravertebral muscles
• A rhythmical pattern or a constant force is applied until tissue is softer and lengthened.

Question 4

Cervical Contralateral Traction, Supine

Answer 4

• Physician: At side of table opposite side being treated
• Caudad hand reaches across and contacts paravertebral muscles on side opposite of where you are standing (make sure to be lateral to spinous processes, not on them)
• Cephalad hand rests on patient’s forehead to stabilize head
• Engage tissue with ventral force and continue to apply traction moving ventrally and slightly laterally creating a perpendicular stretch

Question 5

Cervical Cradling with Traction, Supine

Answer 5

• Fingers placed under patient’s neck bilaterally on paraspinal muscles, just lateral to the spinous process
• Engage soft tissue with ventral and lateral force
• Apply a cephalad force to induce longitudinal traction
• Repeat above steps by repositioning hands to contact different levels of the cervical spine

Question 6

Suboccipital Release

Answer 6

• Finger pads placed in suboccipital region (find occipital ridge and move inferiorly until fingers fall into suboccipital region)
• Inhibition: Apply a constant inhibitory pressure for 30 seconds to 1 minute
• Kneading: pressure may be slowly and rhythmically applied until tissue texture change occur or for 2 minutes