#87 - Suboccipital PIR
Purpose:
A very gentle stretch to relax and reduce trigger points & pain in the suboccipital muscles. Suboccipital trigger points can cause neck pain and headaches.
Where to Feel it:
An extremely mild (no pain) stretch of the upper part of the back of your neck, just beneath your skull (occiput).
Description:
Perform a chin retraction by nodding “yes", and pressing your chin towards your neck/chest with the thumb-to-forefinger webbing of the left hand. Cup the base of the skull with the right hand, and use right hand to gently lift the head up towards the sky, until you feel very mild tension or stretch in your neck/base of your skull. On an inhale, look towards the ceiling with your eyes only, and hold breathe and gaze for 5-10 seconds. On the exhale, look towards the floor with your eyes, lean back into the chair, and again pull up on the back of your head, and feel a very gently increasing stretch in the back of the neck.
Note:
This picture shows a very exaggerated “head down" movement, and is not how the real exercise should actually be performed. When you do this exercise, your head should be level with the horizon, and you should be able to look straight ahead.
Tip:
Remember to always keep breathing!
Reps:
3-5
