The sternocleidomastoid muscle is one of the largest muscles of the neck. When the SCM muscle is tight, the jaw protrudes forward. This pulls the head out of its correct alignment. Stretching gets the muscle to relax and return to its normal...
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...
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...
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....
One of the largest muscles in your neck is the sternocleidomastoid, or SCM muscle. Stretching the SCM can help relieve soreness and tightness after a workout. The SCM muscle is involved in rotation and lateral flexion of the neck and spine as well...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Bench pressing involves use of upper-body strength to lift a heavy weight, which includes chest, shoulder and lower neck muscles. Occasionally, bench pressing a weight heavier than your muscles are prepared to lift may cause muscular tears or...
The levator scapulae, sternocleidomastoid and trapezius are the main muscles that comprise the neck. The "traps" are the largish muscles that bridge the gap between your neck and shoulders. The levator scapulae runs down the back side of the neck...
The neck is an area of the body that often gets neglected when it comes to weight training. Strengthening your neck muscle, however, can help prevent injury to your spine in contact sports, such as football and hockey. The actual muscles of the...
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...
Having a skinny neck does not have a major impact on your health, but it can cause self-consciousness. This is especially the case when the rest of your body is muscular. To bulk up your neck, focus on the muscles that surround it. These include...
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...
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...
There are seven vertebrae in your neck, running from the base of your brain to just past your shoulder blades. These bones, their joints and the muscles and ligaments that hold them together can cause acute or persistent neck pain from injured...
Neck pain can result from spending many hours hunched over a computer and poor posture. Deep neck stretches that attend to different muscles in your neck help loosen up, relax and elongate them. Stretching for a few minutes at your desk or...
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...
A strong neck is an important, but often overlooked, component of fitness. Although some exercises work parts of your neck, they don't hit the neck at all angles. Use a four-way neck machine, which is available as a plate-loaded or weight stack...
You can build up your sternocleidomastoid and splenius muscles, which are in your neck, and the deltoids in your shoulders, by using a variety of free weight exercises. When training the neck muscles, you should use light to moderate weights and...
A chicken neck is a derogatory term used to describe someone with a skinny or thin neck. This statement also implies that the neck is frail or easily snapped much as a chicken's neck would be. The main muscles of the neck are the trapezius,...
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,...
Having a strong neck is paramount for such sports as boxing, wrestling, football and mixed martial arts. Even if you do not participate in any of these sports, building a stronger neck can keep your upper spine more stable and reduce your chances...
The sternocleidomastoid muscles are two-headed muscles that are located on both sides of the anterior neck. According to the book "Anatomy and Physiology" by Elaine Marieb, the simultaneous contraction of both muscles produces flexion, or bending,...
Whenever you do overhead exercises or trunk flexion exercises such as crunches, your neck muscles are contracting forcefully to keep your head erect. Other than this default muscle recruitment, you can perform exercises to build your neck muscles...
According to a 2009 study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, strength training the neck, trapezius and shoulders effectively reduced neck and shoulder pain in women office workers. Most neck exercises will work your erector spinae,...
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...
Limber up your neck with this stretching routine. Learn exercises and stretches for your workout routine in this fitness video.
Head stretches can be an effective technique for relieving neck tension. Try these exercises and stretches for your workout routine in this fitness video.
