Stretches To Help Correct Your Baby’s Torticollis

Torticollis means “twisted neck” in Latin, and as you might expect from that terminology, it’s a condition that can be alarming to spot in your newborn baby.

When the “strap muscles” in your baby’s neck become short and tight, whether from birth trauma or their position in the uterus, it can pull their head to one side and give them a tilted appearance.

“Torticollis can be frightening for parents,” says pediatrician David Burke, DO, “but most kids do very well, especially when torticollis is identified early and treated quickly.”

He explains what you can do to help relieve your baby’s torticollis.

Benefits of stretching for torticollis

“Torticollis will often self-correct when treated early — ideally, within the first month or two,” Dr. Burke says.

Doing gentle stretching exercises several times each day can help loosen and lengthen your baby’s sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM), which runs from the collarbone to behind the ear.

“Parents can begin home exercises immediately,” says pediatrician Penina Gross-Richmond, DO. “Your pediatrician will explain how to do stretches with your baby and how to reposition them and do light massage. They also refer you to physical therapy or an osteopathic physician.”

Top torticollis stretches for newborns

Doing gentle stretches with your baby throughout the day may help them achieve full range of motion in their neck. Be sure to go into it with these tips in mind:

• Stretch gently and only within your baby’s tolerance. “Never force a stretch,” Dr. Burke cautions.
• Try to hold these gentle stretches for about 30 seconds, but stop sooner if your baby gets fussy or starts to resist.
• Use your voice or toys to distract and soothe your baby while stretching.

These stretches can be done during playtime, after bath time or when your baby is lying flat on the changing table after a diaper change.

Before you start, one more thing to know:

• Right-side torticollis is when your baby’s right ear is tilted toward their right shoulder and their chin is rotated toward their left shoulder.
• Left-sided torticollis is when their left ear is tilted toward their left shoulder and their chin is rotated toward their right shoulder.

Now, let’s begin.

Lateral neck tilt stretch

This gentle stretch helps lengthen the muscles on the tight side of your baby’s neck.

For right-sided torticollis:

1. Lay your baby on their back on a flat surface.
2. Place one hand on their right shoulder to help stabilize them.
3. Place your other hand on top of or underneath their head. This hand will help guide their head.
4. Slowly bend your baby’s head, bringing their left ear toward their left shoulder.
5. Hold for no longer than 30 seconds.

For left-sided torticollis:

1. Lay your baby on their back on a flat surface.
2. Place one hand on their left shoulder to help stabilize them.
3. Place your other hand on top of or beneath their head. This hand will help guide their head.
4. Slowly bend your baby’s head, bringing their right ear toward their right shoulder.
5. Hold for no longer than 30 seconds.

Neck rotation stretch

“This stretch helps improve your baby’s range of motion on the tight side of their neck,” Dr. Gross-Richmond clarifies.

For right-sided torticollis:

1. Lay your baby on their back on a flat surface.
2. Place one hand on your baby’s left shoulder to stabilize them.
3. Gently place your fingertips or the palm of your other hand on your baby’s left cheek.
4. Slowly help your baby turn their head to the right (cheek toward the floor).
5. Hold for no longer than 30 seconds.

For left-sided torticollis:

1. Lay your baby on their back on a flat surface.
2. Place one hand on your baby’s right shoulder to stabilize them.
3. Gently place your fingertips or the palm of your other hand on your baby’s right cheek.
4. Slowly help your baby turn their head to the left (cheek toward the floor).
5. Hold for no longer than 30 seconds.

What else can help torticollis?

Stretches aren’t the only way to relieve torticollis. These other at-home strategies should accompany your efforts.

Repositioning techniques

“Repositioning is when you turn your baby so they’re facing the opposite direction from the one they want to turn to,” Dr. Gross-Richmond explains. “For example, if you place your baby in their crib so they’re facing the wall, they’ll have to activate the muscles on the other side of their neck in order to see you at the bedside.”

Repositioning encourages active neck rotation to help loosen the muscles in the side of your baby’s neck that’s tight. You can practice these techniques with your baby throughout the day:

• Playtime. Move toys and other items of interest to your baby’s tight side. Position yourself on that side, too, when you sit on the floor to play with them.
• Diaper changes. Stand on your baby’s tighter side, encouraging them to follow you by turning their head in the restricted direction.
• Feedings. Try to hold your baby so that their head and body are in a straight line or that they’re looking toward their tighter side.
• When you’re carrying them. Position them so their head is turned to the tighter side.

Tummy time

Tummy time encourages babies to turn their heads from side to side, push up on their arms and increase their muscle tone.

“We recommend it for all babies, but tummy time can correct mild cases of plagiocephaly and help make babies’ heads nice and round,” Dr. Burke notes.

Do tummy time several times a day, increasing the time increments as your baby learns to tolerate it. Tummy time is an important piece of the treatment for torticollis because normal developmental positions help with realignment.

Light massage

You can lightly massage your baby’s neck and back muscles to help loosen them. Ask their pediatrician for tips on doing it safely or for recommendations to another professional who can help.

Osteopathic medicine

“Osteopathic physicians can do manipulative therapy, using gentle, hands-on techniques to guide tissues into a more relaxed position,” Dr. Burke says. “This allows the neck to straighten by restoring alignment and releasing tissue tightness.”

Dr. Gross-Richmond explains further: “By gently addressing the bones at the base of the skull where the tight muscles attach, osteopathic manipulative therapy offers an effective treatment that goes beyond muscle stretching to the root of the issue.”

A final word on treating torticollis

If your baby’s head tilt is significant, or if at-home stretches don’t work, they may need physical therapy to relieve the condition. Often, osteopathic manipulative treatment is an effective complement to physical therapy and at-home interventions. Left uncorrected, torticollis can:

• Affect the symmetry of their head and face
• Impact their vision or hearing
• Lead to orthopaedic issues

If your baby has a head tilt and you suspect they could have torticollis, speak to their pediatrician ASAP. Treatment can take longer after they’re 3 months old, so the message is clear: “If you have concerns, talk to your pediatrician sooner rather than later,” Dr. Gross-Richmond urges. “This will give your baby plenty of time for treatment and timely referrals, if needed.”