Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/1505456
L i s te n to T h e A B M P Po d c a s t a t a b m p.co m /p o d c a s t s o r w h e reve r yo u a cce s s yo u r favo r i te p o d c a s t s 59 FAVORITE TECHNIQUE NO. 1: THE THREE-QUARTER SIDELYING TECHNIQUE FOR THE NECK The first technique I would like to discuss is the ¾-sidelying technique for massaging the neck. I've been treating patients now for 40 years, but I still get excited when I have the opportunity to help someone who presents with neck pain and dysfunction. I love treating the neck and I treat it in most every position: supine, prone, and seated; but, by far, my favorite position to treat the neck with the client is in ¾-sidelying position. My reasoning is as follows: The musculature of the neck that I believe most often needs to be worked is the one that overlies the laminar groove between the spinous processes and the articular processes (facets), namely the paraspinal transversospinalis musculature, which is composed of the semispinalis, multifidus, and rotatores. In fact, the semispinalis capitis is the largest muscle in the posterior neck and is often overlooked and generally not well appreciated (Image 1). Further, whenever I work with moderate to deeper pressure, I want to use body weight to generate pressure. Putting these two objectives together, it makes sense to have the client in a ¾-sidelying position because this orients the laminar-groove musculature vertically up toward the ceiling so we can position our body directly above and simply sink down with body weight. We begin with the client sidelying, facing away from us. We then rotate their entire body approximately 45 degrees away from us (be sure their thighs are not excessively f lexed at the hip joints, or the thighs will block the rotation excursion movement) (Image 2A). The biggest challenge is to appropriately place a pillow that supports their head and prevents their nose from being uncomfortably pushed down against the table. For this, I like to use the face-cradle cushion (Image 2B). The semispinalis capitis muscle overlies the laminar groove of the cervical spine. Image courtesy Dr. Joe Muscolino, The Muscular System Manual, 5th Edition, 2023, Elsevier. Obliquus capitis superior and inferior Semispinalis of transversospinalis group Erector spinae group Latissimus dorsi Triceps brachii Teres major Teres minor Infraspinatus Supraspinatus Serratus posterior superior Spenius cervicis Levator scapulae Splenius capitis 1 (A) Position of ¾-sidelying. (B) Position of the head on the face-cradle cushion. A B 2