Cranial Motion Palpating Cranial Flexion Cranial Extension Somatic Dysfunction

- All bones in the body respond to cranial motion - During flexion, use vault contact on pt’s cranium - Body spends more time in extension phase of motion
- Flexion: • finger pads move inferior (away from you, towards - Greater amplitude of extension motion compared to
• Paired bones Externally Rotate the pt’s feet) flexion motion
• Single bones move into flexion • Finger pads separate
- Extension: Torsion Somatic Dysfunction
• Paired bones IR
• Single bones move into Extension
- Sphenoid bone and occiput rotate in opposite directions
- Main driving force for the primary respiratory mechanism
Normal Cranial Motion- Extension one anterior-posterior axis that runs from nasion to
is driven by the sphenoid and occiput
opisthion
- These bones flex and extend (single bones)
- Nasion: most anterior point of the frontonasal suture that
• Spending an equal amount of time in each phase - SBS falls joins the nasal art of the frontal bone and the nasal bones
• Moving an equal amplitude in each phase - Sphenoid and occiput rotate around transverse axes in - Opisthion : midpoint on the posterior margin of the
- Sphenobasilar synchondrosis opposite directions foramen magnum on the inferior surface
• Junction where the base of sphenoid and the base - Sacrum will move caudad and nutate as SBS falls during - Torsion SD named for the side where the greater wing of
of the occiput articulate the extension phase the sphenoid bone is superior. Eg. Right torsion, the right
greater wind of sphenoid ascends as left greater wind of
Axis of Cranial Motion Other changes in cranial flexion sphenoid descends (r. jugular process of occiput
descends as left jugular process of the occiput ascends)

- Sphenoid bone and occiput rotate in opposite directions

around 2 transverse axes Torsion of Cranium causes:
- Sphenoid axis of motion : thru the sphenosquamos pivots
of the sphenoid - A blow to the head, either from the top or bottom, to an
• Where the articular bevel changes from exterior to anterior quadrant
interior 1- Frontal bone
- Occiput axis of motion: Just above the jugular processes 2- Cheek
of the occiput - A blow to head, either from the top or bottom, to a
Palpating Cranial Extension, during extension (use vault contact on posterior quadrant
patient’s cranium): 1- Occiput
Cranial Motion- Flexions
2- Parietal bone

- SBS rises as Sphenoid and occiput rotate around their - Finger pads move superiorly (toward you, away from the
pt’s feet) Vertical Strain Somatic Dysfunction
transverse axis in opp directions during flexion
- Sacrum will move cephalad and counternutate as the SBS - Finger pads should approximate each other
rises during the flexion phase bc of dural attachments - Sphenoid bone and occiput rotate in the same direction
Cranial Flexion Somatic Dysfunction around two transverse axes
- Creates vertical shearing motion at the SBS: one bone
Other changes during cranial flexion
moves into flexion as the other bone moves into extension
- Body spends more time in flexion phase of motion - Sphenoid axes of motion: through the sphenosquamous
- Greater amplitude of flexion motion compared to pivots of sphenoid (articular bevel changes from exterior
extension motion to interior)
- Occiput axis of motion: just above the jugular processes
of the occiput
- Vertical strain somatic dysfunctions are named according
to the direction in the basisphenoid moves

• Superior vertical strain: the basisphenoid moves - In opposite directions around 2 vertical axes (sidebending
superiorly component)
• Inferior vertical strain: basisphenoid move inferiorly - Sphenoid axis of motion: through the body of the
- Causes: sphenoid
• Superior Vertical Strain: a blow to the vertex of the - Occiput axis of motion: through the foramen magnum
head, posterior to the plane of the SBS or A blow opposite directions around one anterior-posterior axis
from below the mouth, anterior to the plane of SBS that runs from nasion to opisthion
• Inferior vertical Strain: a blow to the vertex of the - In the same direction around one anterior-posterior axis
head, anterior to the plane of the SBS or A blow that runs from nasion to opisthion (rotation component)
from below the mouth, posterior to the plane of the - Named by rotation (the side of convexity), side that drops
SBS inferiorly
- - Eg: R.sidebending-rotation SD, the right greater wing of
the sphenoid bone and the right jugular process of the
occiput descend (L. greater wing of the sphenoid bone
and l. jugular process of the occiput ascend)
Superior Vertical Strain Somatic Dysfunction - Causes: A blow to the side of head at the level in line with
the SBS (this will cause convexity to occur on the the opp
- basisphenoid moves in a superior direction side of the head)
- sphenoid flexes
- occiput extends

Inferior Vertical Strain Somatic Dysfunction Compression Somatic Dysfunction:

- basisphenoid moves in an inferior direction - One anterior-Posterior axis that runs from nasion to
- Sphenoid: extension opisthion
- Occiput: flexion - SBS gets compressed by the occiput getting pushed
toward the sphenoid and/or the sphenoid getting pushed
toward the occiput along this axis
Lateral Strain Somatic Dysfunction

- Sphenoid bone and occiput rotate in the same direction

around 2 vertical axes: creates lateral shearing motion at
the SBS
- Sphenoid axis of motion: through the body of the
sphenoid
- Occiput axis of motion: through the foramen magnum
- Lateral strain SD, named according to the direction the
basisphenoid moves
• Right lateral strain: basisphenoid moves to the
right
• Left Lateral Strain: basisphenoid move to the left
- Causes: a blow to the side of the head anterior or
posterior to the plane of SBS

Sidebending- Rotating Somatic Dysfunction

- Sphenoid bone and occiput rotate