Exercise for the clavicular head of the sternocleidomastoid

[@powershowgames9410]

Please keep doing the work you do because you are 100% RIGHT about this muscle causing dysautonomia. Concussion rehab practitioners have been using neck rehab in clinic for years to help people who’s symptoms don’t go away after their brains have recovered. I hope that because of people like you this issue will become more well known in the future

[@Cody27]

I think you are really spot on with the vegus nerve irritation. From a car wreck, along with others , I had a compression fracture in my neck that caused a lot of weakness in the neck and midback. After 10 years and multiple PT & chiro stints I was having a lot of less severe dysautonomia symptoms but there was no "reason". Had to turn to KZbin to finally start healing. And now I actually found someone with a big brain & experience to support my theory. One of the few people ive seen even talk about this. Subbed.

[@amgnico]

Dysautonomia POTS?

[@zakyvids6566]

Dear @Cody any updates

[@delila1830]

Oh my gosh. I've had vascular tinnitus in my right ear on and off for years. I can usually hold below my ear and jaw to get it to stop .. Until I let go. Woke up with a stiff neck and shoulder and tinnitus. Thought maybe it's always been a pinched nerve in a muscle because aside from a processing disorder my ears are fine. I looked up what the nerve was there, then the muscle it's in, and that led me here. I trusts neurologists more than chiropractors. I held where you said and the tinnitus stopped. Let go and it started. And rubbing my kneck never helped but I always did it anyway hoping it would stop. Now I know what to do about it when it comes on! Thank you so much. So glad I found this!

[@melodyebuskin5490]

I’ve had similar issues. Ear noise from whiplash.

[@papandopulos]

Did you manage to solve it?​@@melodyebuskin5490

[@melodyebuskin5490]

Never knew how tight my neck and shoulder muscles were till I tried this exercise. I’ve had Tinnitus from whiplash for several years. The inner ear itching was something I also have occasionally. I know laxity from stretched ligaments can cause T. I’ll be doing these exercises from now on as I’ve read several comments from ppl who said your exercises reduced/stopped theirs. Thank you! ❤️

[@user-bt5ur1pr7r]

Do you have any updates?

[@melodyebuskin5490]

@@user-bt5ur1pr7r I found another modality called Curalistic from a comment on another video. Gustav Grundsoe who healed his own whiplash uses trigger point therapy and self massage of SCM, traps, etc which I’ve also found very effective. I follow both MSK & Curalistic.

[@JDB61698]

Absolute best info on KZbin. Thanks for sharing

[@graydhd8688]

Wow, 10 years of neck and back and shoulder issues and going through just a handful of these vids my TOS symptoms are much better and I can actually turn my head smoothly left to right for the first time since a car accident causing broken collarbone and whiplash that was the source of these issues starting.

[@jeanine219]

Thank you Kjetil. You are wonderful teacher.

[@bipolarbear27]

You are the fucking man! This helped me solve a medical mystery that I'd been dealing with for years that multiple ENTs and regular doctors didn't have a fucking clue about. Seriously thanks you so much dude, you've given me so much joy and understanding.

[@Krish_1222]

I have this condition since more than 10 years. visited ENTs initially thinking it is eustachian tube dysfunction. They used to tell everything is alright. But only I know the suffering. I want to get cured of this condition. I have also observed flexing clavicular head muscle as very effective.

[@davidf4163]

Just recently started neck exercises and they are MUCH tougher than what I expected, especially under rotation ! Thanks for this because it will definitely improve form and function . . .

[@MSKNeurology]

Yep. Be careful.

[@sanher20]

I've had massive knots on the sides of my SCMs and as soon as I began to strengthen this muscle the knots began to become smaller and my vision improved massively. I've had myopia for almost 20 years and my eyes are almost back to perfect vision

[@kasturikshirsagar5683]

Thanks a lot for such an informative video!! Struggling with chronic neck pain and postural issues!

[@melodyebuskin5490]

Ringing (in the brain) and itching in the inner ears - my symptoms from whiplash. Thank you for this info!

[@hayleygurriell157]

Thank you so much for sharing this! I had whiplash years ago and developed neck pain down the front and back of my neck. I did some research and found out that what I was also randomly experiencing (ear pain, itchy inner ears, mastoid pain, above eyebrow headache, jaw pain) was more specifically related to the clavicular head of the SCM. Please let us know if you have more exercises for this!

[@mindyhardy5426]

Did you do anything that helped?

[@mrss5505]

@@mindyhardy5426 I have tried PT, acupuncture and chiropractor. Pt and acupuncture didn’t change anything, chiropractor made it worse. I just recently tried trigger point therapy (neuromuscular therapy) and it reduced my pain by about 80% only after one session. Highly recommend.

[@melodyebuskin5490]

Same here. Comments show these exercises get results.

[@SydDante]

Really underated KZbin channel, thanks for uploading all the useful information and the help you give through these videos.

[@ginny177]

May you suggest how to train the sternal part of SCM? thank you

[@Alejandro-ru4un]

Is there a video of an isolation exercise but for the sternal head??

[@MSKNeurology]

Already on my page

[@TheSaraphic]

Is there a more gradual way to stimulate this muscle initially? This exercise is too much load for my neck in it's weakened state.

[@Mental1205]

With a probable TOS diagnosis with a vascular component(clogged ears, congestion in parts of the head), is it worthwhile to try out this exercise together with the regular SCM-exercise on your page?

[@AlchemicalAudio]

Excellent video

[@yop109]

Am I the only one struggling not because of a lack of muscle, but simply to imitate that weird curve, which isn't really a lateral movement, not vertical, nor even a diagonal. Anyone found a better trick to guide it than the "guiding with the eyebrow" (pulling it from where? Not the shoulder, but where?)

[@zjeee]

Not sure if it helps but I imagine a line from my temple down to the clavicle where it attaches and then shortening that distance. If you know where the trigger points are you can squeeze them before and after. For me the way I know for sure is there is no pain after the exercise, if the trigger point is still there I did it wrong. It csn easily be confused with the sternal head though so you need to be aware which one is which. Safest bet is to exercise both.

[@yop109]

​@@zjeee ​ thanks a lot for replying, that's super useful ! Too bad I missed it ! You said: 1) "[shortening] a line from my temple" : (focusing on the very top move) to shorten the line, starting from the middle of the temple, do you mostly use a small lateral move, or small direct compression move, or both ? 2) " you can squeeze them before and after." Do you mean on each side : sternum side and shoulder side of the clavical head attachement? 3) "It can easily be confused with the sternal head though so you need to be aware which one is which. Safest bet is to exercise both." do you mean, that in doubt, I should try to shorten the line between the temple and both, the sternal head and the clavical head (on 2 different exercices)? 4) Do you place your finger like Kjetil to know if you are right or wrong, (= are you able to get accurate feedback with your finger, or do you rely entirely on the trigger point being gone or not)? 5) Now, are you able to succeed 100% of the time ? (if you don't have time, you could simply reply a yes or no in different lines, that would immensely help). Thanks again!

[@ginny177]

I have had a visual problems..I was thinking as well about splenius but I am sure it is for SCM...and the vaus irritation

[@karlinhahf]

might be as well occipitals

[@ascaniboy]

This is the exact position I was in last Friday with a 15mm wrench to size a sway bar bolt. This very muscle popped and I have limited use of my neck right now.

[@milangreco7825]

Can i do all the neck exercises on your channel just for injury prevention?

[@versatyle1106]

The left side of my scm clavicle would hurt so bad the side of my tongue would hurt.Plus I would have tension headache on the side of my head

[@scnager1]

Does anyone know if this can cause dizziness and balance issues? I know the suboccipitals do for sure. When I touch the SCM, it brings on the dizziness

[@SophisteKate]

I have exactly the symptoms you stated - dry sensation in throat -lump in throat, tinnitus! I knew my SCM was a problem due to looking at computer at an angle and it is only affecting that one ear.I’ve seen so many doctors and i know the problem but i do not know who can help me with the solution!

[@mapex311]

This looks similar to your Scalene exercise video. Is the difference the angle of translation?

[@dan__________________]

How many reps per day?

[@MSKNeurology]

See my sets and reps video

[@DomogalaD]

@MSK Neurology Every morning since arround 6-7months , i wake up with pain in the clavicular area of the SCM and pain in the scalene on my right side. I have a very active lifestyle (racebike ,strenght training and bouldering ) Because of corona i didn't have access to a PT. i did tons of stretches and things got from bad (just pain in the morning after waking up in the scalene scm area ) to full time tingling in the scalene,scm towards the fingers. if i do weight training after 10minutes i need to catch my breath it seems i can't even breath anymore . so after a month i finally went to a PT , they did dry needling of the scm/scalene/temporalis/masseter etc... it didn't help! Now after my EMG that did not showed anything i am sheduled for a CT /duplo . I found out about this exercise and i just did 3 REPS very slowly . its amazing that almost instant after doing 3reps the whole area feels very warm and i feel tingles in this area . I guess my scalene and SCM are very very weak !Yet most people i've talked about tell me they are overactive and i need to rely more on my deep neck flexors(chin tucks) . I

[@lw7654]

Hi, so how are you now? This also is what I am dealing with. Everyone says scm’s are tight overactive, so they say stretch and release trigger points. I believe now that the scm is weak and will try that exercise, though I’m leery about getting dizzy.

[@DomogalaD]

@@lw7654 since the last month and a half its getting better, still feeling it sometimes. I visited another doc and he gave me medication. In my case its completely caused by stress. When i experience high stress, the hours after i have pain again.

[@lw7654]

@@DomogalaD yup, stress usually is the culprit or at least adds to everything.

[@marsee965]

This is great , thanks again.

[@McDanMan84]

Wow these muscles are so weak I could barely keep my head up in that position

[@karlinhahf]

can I do this exercise with intracranial pressure and cervical instability?

[@MSKNeurology]

Carefully

[@karlinhahf]

@@MSKNeurology thank you 🙏🏻

[@DizFoRDanny]

Hi, I have pain in my left clavicular head of the sternocleidomastoid only (from working with computers I guess). Do you think this could be caused by left side being overused and my right clavicular head of the sternocleidomastoid being weaker therefore causing muscle imbalance? therefore I should do it for the right side only? Thanks.

[@yop109]

in my case, it's just weakness, not overuse

[@alainbrunner6658]

Thanks so much for your videos, very helpful! Couldn't you get the same results with the classic neck curl? I also feel that it works the SCM strongly, along with the deep neck flexors. Or do you think it's better to isolate the muscles completely?Thanks!

[@MSKNeurology]

If it feels strong, you're doing it wrong

[@J1283-s1k]

@@MSKNeurology Hi Kjetil, how would you advise it should feel instead of strong? Thank you.

[@crayzmarc]

What is your view on something like the Iron Neck device for helping develop these areas and more?

[@antibacterial6079]

Good question. I own the iron neck but am adding in these exercises aswell to cover all bases just in case. It is an effective device but doesn’t isolate as well as these exercises

[@chaimfetter]

I'm suffering from nerve irritation around the erb's point the cervical plexus and because of this my clavicular branch of the SCM has been atrophied and I'm in constant pain. This exercise is producing more irritation in the cervical plexus area which is a problem, how to strengthen this portion of the scm without causing more nerve irritation? I already go slow. But doing the exercise with only one movement is already triggering the nerve pain

[@lucyloudozarr9349]

Tinnitus for many is much worse laying down. Do you think this is related ? It’s much less standing. Thank you so much.

[@MrRosenknut]

Would like to know that as well since I suffer from a low frequency tinnitus, especial when laying down

[@dan__________________]

Mine goes away after laying down for many hours. If yours gets worse it could be due to a blood flow problem.

[@playermartin286]

Should i do this if my scm and scalenes are already pretty big (hypertrophic)?

[@MSKNeurology]

Yes

[@Garcia061]

This is very well described. I have left-turning torticollis/ cervical dystonia and my contralateral SCM is injected with Botox neurotoxin to paralyse the motor nerve. It has produced some of the side effects you talk about. Tinnitus in the same side as the injected SCM. Also dysphonia / swallowing problems. My neurologist this time injected the ipsilateral SCM to try regain some functional symmetry but it has left my head feeling wobbly and like it’s pulling back. He also injected the Splenius capitus at the base of the skull. Are there any exercises which can help strengthen my deep cervical flexors without also recruiting the dystonic SCM muscle? I feel like the core stability in my neck is suffering from the neurotoxin injections even though they help with the actual involuntary twisting and dystonic symptoms. Many thanks

[@MSKNeurology]

The dystonia cases I've treated have been secondary to cranial nerve entrapment. The botox will only ameliorate the symptoms

[@scnager1]

Also, does contralaterally rotating your neck and flexing the occiput/mastoid to the SC joint target this just as effectively?

[@fredrikhaugerud587]

Could this also lead to fatigue, feeling like you are about to get a fever but your not.

[@a451F]

Do you recommend it for costo clavicular artery compression ?

[@MSKNeurology]

Someone's been googling too much

[@a451F]

@@MSKNeurology No, i have been diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome.

[@MSKNeurology]

In tos, the scm affects the subclavian vein

[@thestuffedvegan9471]

So good💎💪

[@Jacksonnnnnnnnnnnnn]

Would this take the scalenes out of the movement or actually stress them more? Is there a way to isolate the scm without scalenes?

[@yop109]

you should strengthen them too if they are painful (the idea that these muscles pain because they are overuse is wrong, it's an old pseudoscientific paradigm, forget stretches and massage, strengthen instead)

[@J1283-s1k]

Hi Kjetil, I did these exercises yesterday, and I felt like I got a seriously good focus on my left SCM, which is the one tilted slightly back and to the left. But today I've noticed that while it feels very exercised, it almost seems to have made my torticollis a bit more pronounced. I fully appreciate it won't fix things immediately, let alone in a day, but is this just possibly where the muscle has now been worked and is weak from yesterday day's exercise, meaning for a few days until it's rested, the SCM will be too weak from the exercise to posture properly? Or do you think I did something wrong? Thank you very much.

[@tranebur5450]

You are correct. It’s gets too tired to function properly. Deep rest, ice baths and heavy nutrition should be the focus in that faze. Soon it will be strong enough to fire for stability and get stronger

[@spenceryeo7276]

Feels pretty good. I have a tight and weak short head in left scm. Not many good isoloating exercises out there for this. My only concern is I'm feeling a strain on the upper trap/ levator scap on the side I'm working on. Should I avoid this exercise and continue chin tucks/ lifts or does it sound like I'm doing this one wrong?

[@MSKNeurology]

Not a concern

[@MSKNeurology]

Never do chin tucks

[@gracegonzalez2077]

@@MSKNeurology What can be substituted for chin tucks to engage the deep cervical neck?

[@riyas4229]

Why?

[@lucyloudozarr9349]

Thank you. Definitely feeling it in clavicle. And it’s worse when sleeping. Are there any pillows which help ? Firmer. Can this be irritated from GI issues too ?

[@melodyebuskin5490]

The vagus nerve controls digestion as well. Look at vids by Suki Baxter on how to release vagus nerve.

[@Brazilra]

When i Use my scm my tinnitus get louder but IT feels not Bad means that my scm is to weak

[@AT-vc3kz]

Can I add weight or resistance to try to get a bigger, more muscular neck for aesthetic purposes?

[@달팽이-o1i]

Ofc. Progressive overload is the core fundamental of hypertrophy, however do not do heavy weights, if you can do 50 only do 30 or something like that. Do a medium heavy-light heavy weight.

[@user-zk8ck3my3l]

Is it ok to do this with a lot of trigger points? Or do you have to work on trigger points first?

[@briand9754]

What would starting slow look like, assuming no acute pain during the exercise of course. 10 reps per day per side?

[@koflan]

I know your comment is a year old now, but at least for anyone else who reads it go here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fpbdf42hmdlni8k - I think a slow start is more like 2 reps, twice per week.

[@megancasper3525]

Thank you for the info, if my scalene muscle sticks up a lot on one side would this help or hinder?

[@MSKNeurology]

No

[@megancasper3525]

Thanks

[@megancasper3525]

So what is a good exercise to get my scalene to be less thick and prominent? Also I get some tingling sometimes from shoulder blade. Could it be tos? Thanks

[@davefinch7660]

Great video. Been struggling for 5 years with balance and weird symptoms and pain around my mastoid process on the right side behind my ear. Could this be my issue? Thanks for all of your videos!

[@Kikuye]

I have something that seems similar. It seems related to the eustachian tube and the fluid not being to drain. It seems a lot in part due to different muscles being tight and/or possibly the position of the jaw, neck and head impinging.

[@HN-Anonymous]

Dave Finch were u able to solve this issue and if yes how? With this video?

[@alexlee8639]

Having these symptoms right now and it’s difficult to treat. You found relief?

[@ImpulsoCreativo9322]

@@alexlee8639 I have the same issues. Any relief by doing this?

[@neavychaos]

Did anyone get some relief? If so explain please..

[@Naniwalife1]

Wow that hurt haha, not bad, just weak muscle ache. Will this help with chronic neck, scalene and jaw issues? I find the strain travels to my temples and eyes

[@fatihakhan4381]

this excecise absolutaly amazing but i do only eccentrtic part of this with slow motion. because when i do full version i cant hold my head stable. does it work?

[@MSKNeurology]

That's fine.

[@juanplazas4593]

hello! Whats your opinion on trigger points? Can strengthening lead to TP deactivation?

[@MSKNeurology]

TP is generally bs. Pain = weak. There are a few - FEW - caveats.

[@juanplazas4593]

@@MSKNeurology thanks!

[@I_Ace]

How many times a week should we be working this out?

[@MSKNeurology]

Twice per week

[@ongaku3925]

I have a palpable knot (feels like a piece of macaroni) between my SCM and middle scalene. I have tried these exercises but it causes a severe flare each time. A neurologist is recommending botox to the area ... What are your thoughts on botox to help with chronic muscle knots / spasms that do not seem to respond to conditioning?

[@yop109]

muscle knots is not a scientific thing, just a belief (like stretching practice)

[@ongaku3925]

@@yop109 I guess cavities are a belief too

[@bewatermyfriend8970]

not very practical. take a resistance band, anker it and do that standing

[@karlinhahf]

M

[@beauwilliams5584]

Coming from a guy with a pencil neck...

[@MSKNeurology]

So be it

[@Bigbadmelv]

@@MSKNeurology he's jealous

[@I_Ace]

Lmaoooo

[@mars2259]

You're an idiot.

[@karlinhahf]

this guy is a genius, believe it or not