Neck & jaw · Screen neck
Head sitting forward
The head lives forward of the ribcage. The suboccipitals shorten, the jaw clenches to hold the skull, and breathing moves into the neck.
Why it shows up
Screens, cycling, a stiff thorax, and a jaw that has become a third hand. The head weighs enough. On a longer lever it weighs more. Tissue at the base of the skull then does postural work 16 hours a day.
How it feels
- — A tired neck by late afternoon
- — Jaw tightness, especially on the side you chew or sleep
- — The need to 'crack' the neck to feel clear
On the table
Suboccipitals, SCM, masseter, and the deep front line. Hands-on work here can feel dramatic. The change lasts if the thorax and breath change with it.
Drills
Neck & jaw
Suboccipital Nod
Lengthen the base of the skull so the head can sit over the ribcage again.
Neck & jaw
Four-Way Neck Isometrics
Give the neck honest, light resistance after the nod has taught it to be a neck again — not a breathing muscle.
Neck & jaw
Cervical CARs
Give the neck a slow, full circle — not just forward.
Breath & ribcage
Crocodile Breathing
Feel the breath in the belly and low ribs so it stops living in the neck.
Shoulder blade
Wall Slide with Reach
Teach the shoulder blades to slide up without the low back flaring.
Self-massage
Shoulder blade
Front-of-shoulder ball
Open the front of the shoulder so the shoulder blade can sit on the ribcage again.
Neck & jaw
Upper-shoulder ball
Take the upper shoulders out of the breathing and shrugging business.
Neck & jaw
Base-of-skull rest
Let the small muscles under the skull melt so the head can sit over the ribcage.