Congenital Torticollis
CONGENITAL TORTICOLLIS (CMT) IS A CONDITION IN
INFANTS COMMONLY DIAGNOSED AT OR SOON AFTER
BIRTH. THE TERM TORTICOLLIS IS DERIVED FROM THE
LATIN WORD TORTUS, MEANING ''TWISTED'' AND COLLUM
MEANING ''NECK.'' THIS CONDITION IS, THEREFORE, ALSO
KNOWN AS TWISTED NECK OR WRY NECK
PATHOLOGY
CMT OCCURS WHEN THERE IS REDUCED LENGTH AND
INCREASED TONE OF STERNOCLEIDOMASTOID (SCM) ON
ONE SIDE. INFANTS PRESENT WITH LATERAL FLEXION ON
THE IPSILATERAL SIDE (I.E. THE SIDE WHERE THE SCM IS
AFFECTED) AND CONTRALATERAL ROTATION.
,Epidemiology
Torticollis in infants is most commonly caused by
CMT
CMT is the third most common congenital
musculoskeletal condition in newborns - its
incidence ranges from 0.3% to 19.7%
It has been associated with upper cervical spine
dysfunction and has been called a "kinetic
imbalance due to suboccipital strained
, Anatomy
The sternocleidomastoid muscle has a sternal and
clavicular head. The sternal head originates at the
manubrium sterni moving superiorly, laterally and
posteriorly. The clavicular head originates at the
medial third of the clavicle and runs vertically
upward. It inserts at the mastoid process and
enables ipsilateral lateral flexion and contralateral
rotation. SCM also extends the upper part of the
cervical spine and flexes the lower part.
CONGENITAL TORTICOLLIS (CMT) IS A CONDITION IN
INFANTS COMMONLY DIAGNOSED AT OR SOON AFTER
BIRTH. THE TERM TORTICOLLIS IS DERIVED FROM THE
LATIN WORD TORTUS, MEANING ''TWISTED'' AND COLLUM
MEANING ''NECK.'' THIS CONDITION IS, THEREFORE, ALSO
KNOWN AS TWISTED NECK OR WRY NECK
PATHOLOGY
CMT OCCURS WHEN THERE IS REDUCED LENGTH AND
INCREASED TONE OF STERNOCLEIDOMASTOID (SCM) ON
ONE SIDE. INFANTS PRESENT WITH LATERAL FLEXION ON
THE IPSILATERAL SIDE (I.E. THE SIDE WHERE THE SCM IS
AFFECTED) AND CONTRALATERAL ROTATION.
,Epidemiology
Torticollis in infants is most commonly caused by
CMT
CMT is the third most common congenital
musculoskeletal condition in newborns - its
incidence ranges from 0.3% to 19.7%
It has been associated with upper cervical spine
dysfunction and has been called a "kinetic
imbalance due to suboccipital strained
, Anatomy
The sternocleidomastoid muscle has a sternal and
clavicular head. The sternal head originates at the
manubrium sterni moving superiorly, laterally and
posteriorly. The clavicular head originates at the
medial third of the clavicle and runs vertically
upward. It inserts at the mastoid process and
enables ipsilateral lateral flexion and contralateral
rotation. SCM also extends the upper part of the
cervical spine and flexes the lower part.
