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Education

Cranial Motions

mLpenguin

• 1 min read
Cranial Motions
Photo by Lina White / Unsplash
Dysfunction
Axis
Coupling
Naming Convention
Torsion
1 AP
Rotate Opposite
Greater wing of the sphenoid
Lateral Strain
2 Vertical (Sphenoid and occiput)
Rotate Same
Translate Opposite
Sphenoid translation
Vertical Strain
2 Transverse (Sphenoid and occiput)
Rotate Same
Base of the sphenoid
Side-bending/Rotation
2 Vertical (Sphenoid and occiput)
1 AP
Rotate Same (AP)
Rotate Opposite(Vertical)
Convexity (outward curvature) of side bending
Compression
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Sphenoid and Occiput move toward each other
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Phantom hands

Flexion

  • BL fingers expand and move forward

Extension

  • BL fingers compress and move backwards

Torsion

  • Hands rotate opposite each other - forwards or backwards. The side that has the thumb pointing at you is how it's named.
    • Left hand rotates forward. Right hand rotates backwards = Right torsion

Lateral Strain

  • Hands tilt together to the right or left. Rotation is named opposite to where the thumbs are pointing. Same as where the pinkies are pointing.
    • Thumbs rotate to the right (pinkies rotate to the left) = Left lateral strain

Vertical strain

  • Hands rotate the same as each other - forwards or backwards. Where the thumbs are pointing is how it's named.
    • Both hands rotate backwards (Thumbs point towards you) = Superior vertical strain
        • Index fingers would move inferiorly and the 5th fingers would move superiorly
    • Both hands rotate forward (Thumbs point away - if they keep rotating, they will eventually point downwards) = Inferior vertical strain
      • Index fingers would move superiorly and the 5th fingers would move inferiorly

Side-bending rotation

  • Both wrists translate (shift) to the left or right. Fingers stay in place. The side that the wrist translates to is how it's named
    • Both wrists translate to right = Right side-bending rotation