Regional Flexion C2-C7 (sitting)

Position of the therapist:

  • Standing at the long edge of the bench or stool on the contralateral side

Position of the patient:

  • Upright sitting position at the short edge of the bench/stool
  • Patient’s head at the height of the therapist’s sternum

Hand placement:

  • Fixating hand on C2 with a V-grip and other hand rotates upper cervical spine until resistance is felt
  • Working hand placed onto C2 so that pinky and hypothenar eminence make contact with the contralateral arch of C2
  • Forearm supinated and “open” hand
  • Patient’s head fixated between working hand and therapist’s chest
  • Fixating hand on C7 with a key grip into ventrocaudal direction

Movement:

  • Maximal homonymous 3D movement with equal components of flexion, ipsilateral lateral flexion and ipsilateral rotation.
    This movement causes maximal opening of the facet joints of C2 till C7 on the contralateral side.