Cranial Strain Patterns And Treatment

Question 1

How do paired and single bones move with respect to flexion and extension?

Answer 1

Flexion:

• paired bones = externally rotate
• single bones = flex forward

Extension:

• paired bones = internally rotate
• single bones = extend back

Question 2

What is the main driving force for the primary respiratory mechanism in cranial movements?

Answer 2

Sphenoid and occiput bones movement on each other
- these bones are single bones that flex and extend in each phase

movement occurs along the sphenobasilar synchondrosis (SBS) since this is the junctional these bones meet

Question 3

What are the two axis that sphenoid and occiput bones move along?

Answer 3

Sphenoid axis of motion
- goes through the sphenosquamous pivots of the sphenoid transversely

Occiput axis of motion
- goes through the jugular foramen just anterior to the jugular processes of the occiput transversely

Question 4

Normal cranial motion flexion

Answer 4

1) sphenoid bone flexes forward around the sphenoid axis And the occiput flexes backwards along the occiput axis (both transverse axis
2) the SBS rises as the sphenoid bone and occiput bones flex forward and backwards respectively
3) as the SBS rises, it pulls the dura attachments on the sacrum up and causes the sacrum to move cephalad and counternutate along its axis

skull width widens, length shortens, height shortens, eyes widen, eyeball becomes prominent

Question 5

How should your fingers move when palpating a patients cranium during flexion?

Answer 5

Finger pads should move inferior (away from physician) and separate from each other

Question 6

Normal cranial motion extension

Answer 6

1) sphenoid bone extends back around the sphenoid axis And the occiput extends forward along the occiput axis (both transverse axis
2) the SBS falls as the sphenoid bone and occiput bones extend backwards and forwards respectively
3) as the SBS falls, it drops the dura attachments on the sacrum causing the sacrum to move caudad and notate along its axis

skull width shortens, length widens, height widens, eye sockets shorten, eyeball becomes sinks

Question 7

How should your fingers move when you palpate the cranium during the extension phase?

Answer 7

Finger pads should move superior (towards physician and approximate)

Question 8

Flexion somatic dysfunction

Answer 8

The sphenoid and occiput rotate oppositely along their respective axis

The body will spend more time in flexion phase of motion and there is greater amplitude of flexion motion compared to extension

** in extension the body will obviously spend more time in the opposite motions**

Question 9

What is a torsion somatic dysfunction?

Answer 9

When the sphenoid and occiput bones rotate in opposite directions around an A-P axis that cross the nasion-> opisthion

(Nasion = most anterior point of the frontal nasal suture that joins the nasal part of the frontal bone with nasal bones)

(Opisthion = midpoint of the posterior margin of the inferior surface of the foramen magnum)

Question 10

How do you name a torsion somatic dysfunction of the cranium?

Answer 10

It is named for whichever side has the more prominent/superior greater wing of the sphenoid

Right torsion = right greater wing of the sphenoid ascends as the left greater wing of the sphenoid descends
- *also the right jugular process of the occiput descends as the left jugular process of the occiput ascends
((The sphenoid bone rotates left and occiput rotates right))

Left torsion = left greater wing of the sphenoid ascends as the right greater wing of the sphenoid descends
- * also the left jugular process of the occiput descends as the right jugular process of the occiput ascends
((The sphenoid bone rotates right and occiput rotates left))

Question 11

Possible causes of a torsion somatic dysfunction

Answer 11

1) blow/trauma to the head from either superior or inferior -» an anterior quadrant
2) blow/trauma to the head from either superior or inferior -» an posterior quadrant

Question 12

What is a vertical strain dysfunction?

Answer 12

The sphenoid bone and occiput rotate in the same direct along the two transverse axis
- creates a vertical shearing motion at the SBS which causes one bone to move in flexion and the other to move in extension

• superior vertical strain = sphenoid moves into flexion and the occiput movies into extension
• the basisphenoid (SBS) moves superiorly

*inferior vertical strain = sphenoid moves into extension and the occiput moves into flexion

Question 13

Causes of a vertical strain

Answer 13

Superior vertical strain

• blow to the vertex of the head posterior to the plane of the SBS
• a blow from below the mouth anteriorly to the plane of the SBS (uppercut punch to the tip of the chain

Inferior vertical strain

• a blow to the vertex of the head anterior to the plane of the SBS
• a blow from below the mouth posterior to the plane of the SBS

Question 14

What is a lateral strain dysfunction?

Answer 14

Sphenoid and occiput rotate in the same direction along their vertical axis

• sphenoid vertical axis = through the body of the sphenoid
• occiput vertical axis = through the body of the occiput

Creates a lateral shearing motion along the SBS

are named for have the basisphenoid (SBS) moves

Right lateral strain = SBS moves to the right and both single bones rotate left

Left lateral strain = SBS moves to the left and both single bones rotate right

Question 15

What causes a lateral strain somatic dysfunction?

Answer 15

A blow to the side of the head anterior or posterior to the plane of the SBS
- usually either greater wing of sphenoid or the temporal bone just superior or at where the ear is found

Question 16

Sidebending rotation somatic dysfunction

Answer 16

Sphenoid and occiput rotate in opposite directions along their vertical the axes And the SAME way along the AP axis that runs from the nasion to the opisthion

• the side bending comes from the opposite rotations along the vertical axis
• the rotation comes from the same rotation along the AP axis

Question 17

Right and left sidebending-rotation somatic dysfunctions

Answer 17

they are named for the side of convexity/ rotation (which ever side drops inferiorly)

Right SR somatic dysfunction:

• right greater wing of sphenoid and the right jugular process with drop inferiorly
• left greater wing and jugular process with rise superiorly
• **the right hand of the physician should move forward (away from physician) with finger seperation

Left SR somatic dysfunction:

• left greater wing of sphenoid and the left jugular process with drop inferiorly
• right greater wing and jugular process with rise superiorly
• ** the left hand of the physcian should move forward (away from the physcian) with finer seperation

Question 18

What causes a SR somatic dysfunction?

Answer 18

A blow to the side of the head that is inline with the SBS (along the temporal bone just posterior to the greater wing and anterior to the ear)

Question 19

What is a compression somatic dysfunction?

Answer 19

SBS gets compressed due to the occiput getting pushed toward the sphenoid ( or vise versa) along the AP axis