Stretching Exercises For Torticollis To Help Relieve Stiffness For Infants

As a parent, there is nothing more troubling than seeing your baby struggle to turn their head, display signs of distress while feeding or playing, or getting the diagnosis from your physician. Torticollis which is also known as “Twisted

 neck” is a muscle condition of the neck that hinders infants from freely moving their heads. The restricted mobility, usually due to contracted cervical muscles, can lead to stiffness, posture imbalance, and in severe cases, the postponement of significant developmental milestones.  

The good news? Mild stretching exercises provide a natural, safe, and remarkably effective solution for easing your baby’s stiff neck and helping them attain proper mobility. No matter whether your child is suffering from a minor head tilt or a longer-lasting case of torticollis, these carefully targeted exercises can bring valuable relief.

How Stretching Helps Relieve Infant Torticollis?

Stretching may seem like a straightforward, simple remedy, but it is extremely effective in case of muscle tightness in newborns. Torticollis generally occurs due to the shortening of the sternocleidomastoid muscle or “strap muscles”, making the head of the baby tilt on one side and the chin face the other way.

Soft stretching exercises help accomplish the following:

• Lengthen tightened neck muscles.
• Improve mobility and flexibility so that infants can turn their heads easily.
• Promote improved head control.
• Facilitate correct posture.

Early intervention is essential. By introducing these movements early, you can avoid developmental delays, minimize muscle tension, and position your baby for healthy physical development.

Safe and Effective Stretching Exercises for Infants with Torticollis

Before exploring further exercises, the key point to remember is “never push beyond your baby’s comfort or force a stretch”. Move gradually, watch your baby’s response and it is better to seek help from a professional healthcare provider in the beginning.

With all these precautionary steps in mind, here are some of the simple torticollis exercises for infants that parents might try with the guidance of a professional healthcare provider.

• Head Turning Stretch (Passive Rotation)

Put your baby on their back. Slowly turn their head to the side they usually resist, holding for 10-15 seconds. This stretch lengthens tight neck muscles and improves mobility.

• Tummy Time With Head Management

Put your baby on their tummy and have them turn their head by putting toys or sounds on the less-preferred side. This position builds neck and shoulder muscle strength and head rotation. 

• Side-lying Stretch

Position the baby on their side, tighter side down. Prop up their head and gently stretch their neck by having them look up. Hold the stretch for a moment and repeat a few times a day.

• Football Hold (Modified Carrying Position)

Hold your baby with the involved side down, so gravity is gently coaxing a stretch. This is a simple, everyday method that quietly urges more proper neck alignment.

Each stretch should be practised a few times a day, preferably after a nappy change or before a nap time when your baby is sleepy and quiet. It must also be remembered that stretches are not the only way to relieve torticollis but they are just get-along remedies along with other strategies.

Tips for Performing Stretching Exercises Safely

Safety is of primary importance in stretching a baby’s sensitive muscles. Remember the following important safety guidelines: 

1. Hold the neck and head at all times. Hold the baby with your hand during each stretch. 
2. Don’t push the movement. If the baby resists or indicates pain, discontinue the stretch.
3. Watch out for signs that the baby shows. A calm baby is more open and receptive to stretches as compared to a fussy baby. 
4. Maintain your posture. Sit down comfortably and securely so that you and the baby would feel safe while preventing any injuries to the baby. 
5. Seek advice from an expert before starting or changing any routine. Our team at Osteopathic Healing Hands also specializes in Torticollis, using gentle, hands-on techniques to help infants regain proper neck mobility and alignment safely.

By proceeding with these stretches slowly and gently, you reduce the chance of injury and transform stretching into a healthy element of your baby’s routine. 

When to Consult an Expert?

Although most of the time infant torticollis gets better with home remedies, there are certain situations where medical consultation becomes mandatory. Consult experts if:

• Tilting of the head to one side with the chin pointing to the shoulder on the opposite side.
• Limited ability to move the neck or turn the head
• You see no change with several weeks of frequent stretching.
• Your baby cries or shows signs of discomfort during exercise.
• The neck stiffness intervenes during feeding sessions or sleep.
• Pain and stiffness in the neck; characteristic symptoms caused by injury or infection
• Painless swelling or mass in the neck (can appear in infants during the first month)
• One side of the face and head looks flattened (plagiocephaly) from the child laying their head on the same side while sleeping

“Osteopathic physicians can do manipulative therapy, using gentle, hands-on techniques to guide tissues into a more relaxed position,” Dr. Burke says. “This allows the neck to straighten by restoring alignment and releasing tissue tightness.”

Dr. Gross-Richmond explains further: “By gently addressing the bones at the base of the skull where the tight muscles attach, osteopathic manipulative therapy offers an effective treatment that goes beyond muscle stretching to the root of the issue.”

Additional Strategies to Support Infant Neck Development

As discussed earlier, stretching is only a supportive mechanism. For optimal results try combining it with these additional techniques:

• Tummy Time

If rehearsed a few times a day, this exercise helps infants build back, shoulder, and neck strength.  

• Repositioning 

Switch the way you hold and position your baby so as not to favour one side over the other.

• Use of Visual Stimuli 

Position highly visible toys or mirrors on the less-preferred side to promote voluntary head turns. 

• Feeding from Both Sides

Alternate sides during breastfeeding or bottle feeding to automatically direct head movement in both directions.

The Role of Consistency in Treating Torticollis

Consistency is the quiet hero behind treating torticollis. The occasional stretch won’t make a difference but regular, soothing repetition will. Developing a routine of exercises, tummy time, and positioning is the key to making things work.

Monitoring your baby’s movements and comfort levels over time keeps you motivated and assured that you’re on the right track. Keep in mind that muscle development doesn’t occur overnight, but with persistence, you’ll probably begin to notice small changes in posture, flexibility, and range of motion.

Need Torticollis Treatment for Your Infant?

If you are unsure about stretching on your own or have not noticed an improvement, the professionals at Osteopathic Healing Hands (OHH) can assist. Using a delicate manual techniques, our osteopathic physician, Dr. Banik, specializes in helping infants with musculoskeletal conditions such as torticollis. Our treatments are individually designed for your baby’s individual needs and encourage natural healing, relief, and overall improvement.

Book a 30 Minute Discovery Visit to help with infant torticollis and plagiocephaly by filling out the form:

Book an infant osteopathy appointment to see how gentle support might help.

Conclusion

Torticollis is not a problem that should be addressed as early as possible. Early treatment, regular stretching exercises and the right support mean that your infant should be able to regain its strengthened muscles and increased neck mobility.An osteopath’s job is to help restore the bones of the skull, particularly the occiput and temporal bones, to their proper alignment and mobility in order to support optimal nervous system function and overall cranial balance.

Gentle, proper stretching is not just a solution, it’s a great confidence-builder for parents wishing to help their young ones. Should stretching not work on its own, an osteopaths job is to help restore the bones of the skull, particularly the occiput and temporal bones, through osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT). This treatment alleviates the pressure on the nerves, allowing the baby’s body to naturally correct its posture and alignment. By addressing the root cause of torticollis, we help the child achieve proper neck function and posture, avoiding the need for more invasive treatments or long-term complications

If you ever need to be in doubt, don’t hesitate to contact our office at Osteopathic Healing Hands. Through proper guidance and a gentle path, we love settings infants on the right track for the complete range of motion.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why does torticollis occur in babies?

This disease, also called wry neck or twisted neck, is a condition caused by tightened or shortened neck muscles. Children with torticollis often have poor head control and tilt their heads toward one side with the chin turned to the other side. This is usually observed in the first 6 to 8 weeks of life. In newborns, torticollis can occur as a result of abnormal positioning of the head in the womb or birth trauma. In older children, it may result from injury to the neck muscles or from infections.

Newborn torticollis often arises from the trauma of giving birth or malpositioning in the womb. The baby’s skull bones are designed to be as flexible as possible to allow for passage through the birth canal. However, sometimes they can become misaligned, which can affect the spinal accessory nerve, which plays a major role in neck muscle functioning. One focus of osteopathic treatments for torticollis is correcting this anatomical dysfunction to allow for better function and improved movement in the affected muscles.

For example, one of the bones at the base of the skull is called the occiput. Another important bone is the temporal bone. Between these two bones is a hole called the jugular foramen, through which many nerves and veins pass. If the bones of the occiput and temporal bone are compressed during a traumatic birth, they can put pressure on the nerves passing through the jugular foramen. This can lead to one side of the neck muscles pulling harder than the other side, causing the characteristic tilt seen in torticollis neck.

2. When can I begin stretching for torticollis?

Under the advice of a paediatrician or osteopath, stretching may start as young as a few weeks old if the baby is otherwise healthy and the movements are not vigorous. 

3. How often can I stretch my baby?

It is usually recommended to do stretches 3–5 times a day by most healthcare professionals. The recommendation is based on how severe the condition is and also on your baby’s tolerance.