Do you suffer from an uncomfortable feeling, tension, or pain in the top of your neck?
A tight splenius capitis muscle can also cause tension to radiate to your head, creating headaches and migraines.
The repetitive nature of modern work and life, such as long hours in front of a computer screen, can lead to stiffness and pain in this particular area.
Stretching the splenius capitis alleviates tension and helps you to become pain free, getting back to proper function and range of motion of the neck.
To prevent chronic pain impacting your well-being, we’ll also teach you how to proactively attack the cause of splenius capitis problems.
In this post, we’ll show you an effective splenius capitis stretch for instant relief, and how to implement neck strengthening and posture exercises into your life to prevent painful symptoms from appearing in the first place.
Table of Contents
Anatomy of the Splenius Capitis
The splenius capitis muscle is a key player in the movements of your head and neck, playing a pivotal role in extending and rotating the head.
Understanding some basics about it will make it easier for your approach to stretching and strengthening this often overlooked muscle group.
The splenius capitis starts at the upper part of your thoracic and lower part of your cervical spine and runs upward alongside the spine. It attaches at the back side of your skull.
It is hidden under the trapezius as part of a group of muscles in the back of your neck. Other muscles in this group include the sternocleidomastoid, which helps you turn your head, and the semispinalis capitis and longissimus capitis, which also help with head and neck movements.
All these muscles work together smoothly to help you move your head in different directions.
Common Issues with the Splenius Capitis
Your splenius capitis muscle plays a crucial role in the movement and support of your head and neck. When it’s not functioning properly, you might experience discomfort across various parts of your upper back and head.
Neck Pain and Stiffness
If you’re feeling neck pain or stiffness in the back of your neck and skull, it could stem from the splenius capitis muscle.
When it’s tight or stressed, it contributes to a stiff upper back and neck discomfort, which are common symptoms if you spend a lot of time working at a desk and stare at computer screens.
Especially, when you spend a lot of time in a slouched posture, the back of your neck can become tight.
Headaches and Migraines
Your splenius capitis can be a hidden cause of headaches and migraines.
Tension in this muscle can refer pain to the head, creating a tension headaches and migraines.
Splenius Capitis Syndrome
The splenius capitis syndrome entails pain that’s likely connected to blunt trauma or whiplash injuries.
It is characterized by trigger points which can significantly limit movement due to pain and contribute to a sensation of a persistent migraine headache.
Stretching the Splenius Capitis
When you suffer from neck pain, headaches, and a feeling of tension or discomfort at the back of your skull, stretching the splenius capitis muscles can give you relief from the symptoms.
Moreover, you will be able to reverse movement restrictions that come from overly tight neck muscles.
Here is how you stretch your splenius capitis muscle step by step:
- Focus on stretching one side at a time.
- Maintain a straight back during the exercise. Ensure that you keep the shoulder on the side you’re stretching pulled back and down. That way, you lengthen your splenius capitis and make the stretch more effective.
- With your back upright, move your head down, looking towards the floor.
- Turn your head slightly away from the side you’re stretching.
- You should feel a gentle stretch in the back of your neck or the base of your skull.
- If needed, use the opposite hand to gently guide your head into a deeper stretch. Remember to keep the shoulder on the side you’re stretching back and down.
- Don’t apply too much force. Avoid putting a lot of pressure on your spine. Work on slight angle shifts rather than pulling harder on your head.
It makes sense to complement this stretch with some soft tissue work. Loosen the muscles by self-massaging them with your hands or a massage or lacrosse ball.
Follow these steps to release tension in your splenius capitis with a ball for soft tissue work:
- Lay flat on your back, placing a hard, small ball at the back of your neck. Alternatively you can lean against a wall, placing the ball in the same spot.
- Find tender spots in the muscle and stay there.
- Control your breathing and apply pressure into the ball, consciously focusing of letting go of the tension.
- This should be slightly uncomfortable but not painful.
- Make sure to only push the ball into muscle tissue, not against your spine or the nerves along your spine.
Attacking the Root Cause of Splenius Capitis Problems
The Importance of Neck Strengthening Exercises To Prevent Tightness
If you suffer from chronic tightness in your splenius capitis and other neck muscles, you have to know that stretching deals with the symptom of the problem, not the cause.
Rather than constantly trying to decrease the feeling of tightness, discomfort, and pain, why not prevent it from happening in the first place?
Weakness in the musculature around your neck causes certain muscles to compensate for the lack of help they get from their team members.
While it might be counterintuitive to work against muscular fatigue by challenging your muscles more, increasing neck strength is exactly what you need to do.
By starting to do our free routine of isometric neck strengthening exercises, your neck muscles will develop more strength and be able to better deal with their daily tasks without showing symptoms of stress.
Fix Your Text Neck!
Prolonged hunched-over sitting can put strain on the splenius capitis muscles.
When you sit at a desk for hours, the muscles in your back will fatigue and you end up drooping forward. But the screen stays in the same place.
Therefore, your neck extensors, including the splenius capitis, have to constantly work to keep your chin up in the direction of the screen.
Ideally, you frequently switch sitting positions and try to spend less time sitting altogether.
Spending some of your sitting time with a rounded posture is not an issue. However, if you spend most of your day in that position, your body is likely to adapt to it.
Developing text neck as a default posture not only looks unattractive but also can cause chronic splenius capitis pain.
By getting rid of text neck, you can stop stretching your splenius capitis for short-term pain relief and instead improve your overall posture and well-being.
Commit to our comprehensive posture improvement routine and put an end to forward head posture and the accompanying neck pain!
