Congenital Muscular Torticollis: Stretching

Torticollis is a condition that occurs when there is tightness in the muscles on one side of the neck. This often results in the infant tilting their head toward one side and preferring to turn to the opposite side. In addition, the side opposite the tight muscles will often be weaker. If this is not corrected, it can affect the way your child plays, uses their hands, and explores their surroundings. In this video the physical therapist demonstrates exercises that can be tried at home if your child has tightness of their neck muscles. These include stretching to encourage rotation and stretching to encourage side bending. Please consult with a medical professional prior to initiating an exercise program with your child. in this video: 0:16 What is congenital muscular torticollis? 1:29 Stretching exercises for congenital muscular torticollis 1:36 Left rotation for infants with left torticollis or tightness on the left side of the neck 2:41 Right rotation for infants with right torticollis or tightness on the right side of the neck 3:44 Left-side bending stretch for infants with right torticollis or tightness on the right side of the neck 4:46 Right-side bending stretch for infants with left torticollis or tightness on the left side of the neck