Corrective effect of gymnastic training on sternocleidomastoid muscle

The aim of this study was to contribute to future studies and sports health science literature by examining the corrective effect of regular gymnastics exercises on sternocleidomastoid muscle and cervical posture. 5.5-year-old case with story of premature birth at the thirty-second week having 1600 grams of low birth body weight (LBBW) and 40 centimeters of height remained in the incubator in the newborn Intensive Care Unit due to the infection she had after birth. She was constantly laid on her left side and her nutrition was carried out by a nasogastric tube attached from the right side due to medical indication during her stay in the incubator. Therefore, she was diagnosed with torticollis which was caused by shortening in the left sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle. The case participated in the gymnastics training for 10 months and pre-post test active range of motion (AROM) and radiography of the cervical region were taken. Ten months and as a training effect, it was observed that the limitation of the left lateral flexion and left rotation active joint range of motion in the cervical region decreased, and the neck posture improved. As a result, gymnastics training with an experienced trainer can be recommended for cases with similar findings, provided that individual differences are also taken into account.