Anatomical reminder
1- splenius of the head (sectioned).
2- semi-spinous (sectioned)
3- longissimus of the head (sectioned)
4- superior oblique of the head
5- posterior rectus minor
6- posterior rectus capitis
7- inferior oblique of the head
Composed of 4 pairs of muscles. They are the deepest posterior muscles of the neck, located immediately below the occipital. The function of these muscles is the extension, rotation and tilting of the head.
Myofascial syndrome
The referred pains described concern the head in an imprecise way starting from the occiput towards the forehead in a unilateral way. Patients may describe discomfort in the posterior support of the occiput. The myofascial syndrome of these muscles is never isolated but accompanied by damage to the semispinatus and/or the splenius of the head.
Treatment
Like all myofascial syndromes, the basis of treatment is stretching. they consist of making movements of flexions of the head forward accompanied by an inclination and a rotation of the head towards the contralateral side.