Sternocleidomastoid
Exercises that target the sternocleidomastoid, grouped by whether they stretch or strengthen it.
The sternocleidomastoid (SCM) is the prominent rope-like muscle on the side of the neck, running from behind the ear to the collarbone and breastbone. It rotates and side-bends the head and flexes the neck, and it assists breathing.
In forward head posture the SCM tends to become overactive and short, taking over the job the deep neck flexors should do and pulling the head into its forward, chin-poking position. It is a frequent source of neck tension and tension-type headache.
The aim is to calm and lengthen the SCM while re-training the deep neck flexors underneath it (gentle chin nods), rather than strengthening the SCM further. See the neck exercises and the forward head posture guide.
