Twisted neck or Torticollis (Congenital Muscular Torticollis)

• Twisted neck – the most common form of congenital painless torticollis is congenital muscular torticollis.
• The deformity is usually obvious at birth or shortly afterward.
• The child head is tilted towards the involved fibrotic sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle and the chin is rotated towards the contralateral shoulder.
• Excellent result with massage & a stretching program can be achieved in around 90% of patients if the treatment is initiated immediately after birth.
• The exercise should be done gently but with the goal of attaining full passive range of motion-both rotation & tilting as quickly as possible.
• If a significant restriction of motion (lacking 30 degree of full rotation or more) orfacial asymmetry persists after the child achieves walking age, surgical intervention must be considered
• Postoperative care of patient who has undergone surgery includes reinstitution of stretching exercises as soon as pain has ablated and the surgical incision have adequately healed.
• Postoperative treatment has included the use of all types of braces and cast correction.