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Ta k e 5 a n d t r y A B M P F i v e - M i n u t e M u s c l e s a t w w w. a b m p . c o m / f i v e - m i n u t e - m u s c l e s . 71 longer. Therefore, stretching any target muscle is simply an exercise in moving the client's body into the position that would be created by joint actions that are opposite (antagonistic) to the actions of the muscle (Image 7). Of course, for the stretch to be effective, the client needs to be relaxed, so we want the client to be passive as we stretch them. For example, if the muscle is a flexor, we bring the client into extension; if the muscle is a right rotator, we bring the client into left rotation, etc. STRETCHING AND STABILIZATION One further fundamental aspect of stretching should be emphasized before we begin exploring how to stretch the neck— the concept of stabilization. As we have said, the underlying idea of stretching a myofascial tissue is to bring the attachments of the tissue away from each other. However, if, for example, we move one attachment of a muscle away from its other attachment, the tension created in the muscle will pull in on the two attachments, and the other attachment will likely be pulled toward the attachment we are moving, causing us to lose the effectiveness of the stretch. For this reason, most every stretching protocol requires the coordination of both of the therapist's hands. One hand creates the stretch by moving one attachment of the target muscle; the other hand acts to stabilize the other attachment of the muscle (Image 8). When a therapist finds that a particular stretching protocol is ineffective, the fault often lies not in how they moved the client's body, but rather in how they failed to stabilize the other attachment of the target musculature. STRETCHING FUNCTIONAL GROUPS I realize the title of this article is "Stretching the Neck," and we are halfway in and have not yet addressed neck stretching specifically. All this preamble, however, is meant to set the stage so that with a fundamental understanding of stretching we can critically think and then creatively apply our stretching techniques. Let's begin our exploration of stretching the neck by looking at neck stretches aimed at functional groups. There are six functional groups of neck musculature located within the three cardinal planes: extensors and flexors in the sagittal plane, right lateral flexors and left lateral flexors in the frontal plane, and right rotators and left rotators in the transverse plane. For each functional group stretch shown, we will describe the positions of the hand used to create the stretch as well as the hand used for stabilization, and we will discuss proper body mechanics for the therapist so that the effort on their part is efficient and less stressful on their body. Stretching Lateral Flexors All lateral flexion musculature of the neck is located on the side of the neck, whether it is located anteriorly or posteriorly—right lateral flexors are located on the right side, and left lateral flexor muscles are located on the left side. To stretch right lateral flexion musculature, we simply bring the attachments of the muscles away from each other by moving the client's head/ neck to the left. In other words, we do the opposite joint action of this functional group—we perform left lateral flexion of the neck. Similarly, we would stretch the left lateral flexion functional group by bringing the client's neck into right lateral flexion (Images 9A and 9B). Creating the stretch for the right lateral flexion functional group is performed by bringing the client's neck into left lateral flexion. But there are choices for how we accomplish this. In Image 9A, the therapist is using his left hand to press on the right side of the client's head. This is done so the left (upper) arm can be placed against the core of the body, so that the core can be used to create the force of the stretch instead of using shoulder joint musculature. (Note: if the therapist is large-breasted or has a lot of abdominal fat, then placing the arm as close to the core as possible decreases the leverage force on the shoulder joint and minimizes the physical stress needed to create this stretch). Another common way to stretch the neck into Stabilization when stretching. The right lateral flexor musculature of the neck is stretched by moving the neck into left lateral flexion. The therapist's hand is on the superior surface of the client's right shoulder girdle, stabilizing the shoulder girdle to prevent it from elevating. 9A: The functional group of right lateral flexor muscles is stretched by bringing the client's neck into left lateral flexion. 9B: The left lateral flexor functional group is stretched by bringing the client's neck into right lateral flexion. 8 9B 9A