The Neck
Our necks are our spines continuing above shoulder level so that our head can be supported and facilitated in its job. The neck is beautifully designed and engineered and performs its highly complex functions automatically without us having to give them any thought. Our heads are very heavy and placed on top of the lever which is the neck, however we can move them or stop moving them very quickly, positioning them at a very specific point within the large ranges of movement the neck can perform. The ears and eyes, some of our most vital organs of sensory input, are placed on the head and the neck has to serve their needs.
The neck is a complex of bones, ligaments, joints, discs and muscles. However it is important not to forget the rich supply of nerves which flow down from the nearby brain and have a variety of functions. Nerve commands go to the muscles for movement, nerve impulses flow from the skin, discs, muscle and joints to inform the brain what is going on and help with balance, and other nerves control circulation to the area. The complexity and delicacy of the neck is in conflict with its need to provide maximum range of motion and this can lead to difficulties.
Mechanical symptoms are the initial and obvious symptoms from the neck, with postures and activities causing the pain to vary in severity. Loss of range of motion and pain symptoms of various kinds are typical complaints but other problems related to the neck can be difficulties with balance, disturbed vision, dizziness, headaches, mental stresses and muscle weakness. If the physiotherapist can settle the muscle and joint dysfunctions in the neck then all the other symptoms can be positively affected also.
The cervical spine has a very great degree of joint mobility and part of this ability is related to the cervical discs which are very thick in comparison to the height of the neck bones. An increased thickness of disc allows greater movement to occur in the segment. Compared to the facet joints in the lumbar and thoracic spine, these joints in the neck are much larger and facilitate the significant gliding movements required in the neck. Stability is important in other spinal areas but in the neck stability is compromised in favour of mobility.
The atlas and the axis vertebrae, known also as the C1 and C2 vertebrae, are structurally quite different from the other five neck bones and are designed to manage the movement and support of the skull. The atlas and axis joint, the atlanto-axial joint, has a structure which ensures it has very great rotatory ability and this joint contributes significantly to the rotation of the whole neck. Neck movements are very extensive and include extension, flexion, side flexions and rotations, facilitating our ability to precisely place our faces in a huge range of positions so that we can perform the activities we wish to.
Our thoracic spine is the basic foundation for the stability and mobility of the cervical spine. It facilitates the mobility of the neck and without this the neck would be subject to greater stresses where it meets the skull and the relatively stiffer thoracic spine. The neck sticks up narrowly to the skull with the muscles around it acting like wire ropes of a, holding it steady so it does not shake. Since the head is heavy and mostly in front of the centre of gravity this job is difficult and they must work hard to control balance of the head, which needs to be stable for our sense organs.
The neck flexor muscles, situated anterior to the neck, do not have a lot of work to do as they only really function strongly in getting up from lying down. It is a different story for the extensor muscles behind the neck as they have the job of keeping the head up for the whole day without tiring, only showing their function when we get tired in a train when sitting and our head flops forward as the extensors turn off. While balancing the forces applied to the neck and maintaining posture is their key function they also produce levels of compressive forces.
Tags: Alternative Medicine