Did You Know:
The Rectus Capitis Posterior Minor not only attaches to the occiput, but also to the DURA MATER (latin for ‘tough mother’). This is the connective tissue sheath which surrounds the spinal chord and brain.
Tension in this muscle could cause headaches by disrupting the normal cerebrospinal fluid fluctuations… and hence the functioning of the vertebral artery and sub occipital nerve.
SUBOCCIPITALS AS A GROUP:
Massage of the suboccipitals and cervical traction can be great for headache relief. This can help detontize the muscles and so reduce compression on occipital nerves and arteries.
Occipital neuralgia (aka C2 neuralgia,) is a medical condition characterized by chronic pain in the upper neck, back of the head and behind the eyes… these areas are largely governed by the lesser and greater occipital nerves!
–> A common site of entrapment for the Greater Occipital Nerve is at the Oblique Capitis Inferior muscle.
JC Physiotherapy 