The body has over 200 large and small muscles. The sternocleidomastoid is a small muscle that sits on the side of the neck. When it comes to working this muscle, you need to do exercises that simulate the motion it causes. Every time you move your...
The sternocleidomastoid is an important neck muscle that performs several functions requiring two different stretches and two different exercises for strengthening. The reason is that the SCM muscle has two parts, the front and the back portion....
The sternocleidomastoid, or SCM, muscle originates on the sternum and attaches to the clavicle, or collarbone, and the mastoid process of the temporal bone, on the back of the skull. You have one SCM on each side of your neck and the muscle...
The neck contains a series of small muscles on the front and sides, and a large muscle that runs down the back. Keeping these muscles strong helps stabilize the upper neck area which proves beneficial to such sports as wrestling, boxing, mixed...
Torticollis -- colloquially termed "wry neck" -- describes a condition in which the head is rotated in one direction and bent toward the opposite direction. Depending on the cause, torticollis may or may not be treated successfully with physical...
Torticollis, also called wry neck, is a painful muscle spasm in the neck that pulls the head to one side while also turning the chin to the opposite side. Symptoms include difficulty turning the head and headache. While about 1 percent of cases...
Aging causes a natural decline in the elasticity of the skin. This can result in loose skin around the neck. However, there are ways to combat this loose skin. Resistance training exercises that target muscles underneath loose neck skin can give...
Acupuncture is a form of alternative or traditional Chinese medicine. This therapy can be used to treat a variety of health problems, including diseases caused by abnormally sensitive muscles. Although there is no medical literature specifically...
Imagine supporting a 12- to 15-lb. dumbbell between your shoulders. According to Paul Chek of the Corrective High-performance Exercise Kinesiology Institute, your head weighs about 8 percent of your body weight. Prevent impingement of your nerves...
Strengthening the neck muscles through exercise can prevent neck pain, reduce neck tension and improve posture. Unlike other larger and stronger muscles, the neck should be trained using lighter weights, as placing too much stress on the neck can...
Strong neck muscles help with many sports, especially football and rugby. Even if you aren't planning to play a tackle game, however, strong neck muscles can help you avoid injury. A 2005 review published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic...
Your lungs are specialized organs designed for efficient absorption of oxygen and removal of carbon dioxide from your body. By constantly filtering blood through these tissues, the pulmonary system creates an interface between the circulation and...
Torticollis literally means "twisted neck." Affected babies have heads that tilt to one side, while the chin tilts to the other. This results from an overly tight sternocleidomastoid muscle, which connects the skull to the breastbone and...
Building a bulky, muscular neck can help balance your physique and can also help you pass the tape test the U.S. Army uses to ascertain its body-fat composition standards. The primary neck muscle is the trapezius, a large muscle along the...
The neck includes the sternocleidomastoid and splenius muscles. The sternocleidomastoid muscle is located at the front sides of the neck and is responsible for flexing and laterally flexing the neck. The splenius muscle is located at the back of...
Tension in your sternocleidomastoid muscle can lead to a host of problems including pain, dizziness and difficulty swallowing. This is because its location on the side of your neck requires the SCM to function as a rotator, extensor and flexor...
Your neck supports your body's command center, your head, allowing it to move and follow sights and sounds. If you are experiencing neck pain, it may be due to weak or unbalanced neck muscles or to an injury. A strengthening program that targets...
Congenital muscular torticollis, or CMT, is a birth defect of the neck muscles in which the muscles are shortened or contain scar tissue. Infants born with CMT display a characteristic tilting of the head away from the defect. Physical therapy is...
Joint subluxation implies a misalignment or dysfunction. It has been described as a partial dislocation but it also includes "jammed," deteriorated and damaged joints. In general, subluxated spinal facet joints are not aligned properly, don't move...
The design of Pilates is to strengthen your muscles. People with weak muscles benefit from Pilates training, especially when they make modifications to the basic moves and positions. You can support Pilates moves performed lying down with a small...
The sternomastoid, or sternocleidomastoid, muscle runs along either side of the front of your neck, attaching to the mastoid process of your skull on top and to the sternum and clavicle bones on the bottom. The muscle facilitates neck flexion,...
Exercises for a big neck will build the muscles of your neck to strengthen them for sports such as wrestling, mixed martial arts and football. You can use a towel or a head-neck harness to perform neck exercises in the gym. The American College of...
Weight training can include a head harness that fits with straps running around and over the head. You can place the harness so that the chains attached to its ends hang down in front of your body, just forward of the ears. The chains attach to a...
A spasm in the sternocleidomastoid, or SCM, muscle can cause discomfort and limited neck mobility, but stretching may help the condition. If your neck pain worsens after 24 hours and occurs along with headache, drowsiness, fever or confusion, or...
Lateral flexion exercises help strengthen the muscles along the sides of the neck to include the sternocleidomastoid, the muscle that runs from just behind the ear to the clavicle, or collarbone. Lateral flexion can also work out the muscles in...
The bones, joints and muscles of your upper spine must remain strong to support your head. Include neck and upper-back exercises to improve the function of these structures. According to Paul Chek, author of "Equal But Not the Same," your head is...
Neck surgery is a common procedure usually performed when you suffer from intense neck pain that limits your head movement. Neck surgery is necessary when you suffer from severe arthritis of the neck and deformities in your spine. These conditions...
The muscles of your head and neck need to be stretched and strengthened like the muscles of the rest of your body. Exercises for the neck can increase strength and flexibility, promoting good posture and decreasing the possibility of neck pain and...
Facial exercises that work on the neck focus on toning the sternocleidomastoid muscle and the platysma, according to the book, "Structure & Function of The Body." Toning and stretching the muscles of your neck may help decrease loose skin and...
