craniosacral flexion and extension...

[H0mersimps0n]

I have sevarse but he's confusing the hell out of me... someone clarify what the paired and unpaired bones do during each...

thanks

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[Dr JPH]

Midline bones: spheniod, ethmoid, vomer, occiput
Paired bones: parietals, frontal (act as paired)

Craniosacral Flexion:

• Flexion of the midline bones. (sphenoid forward, occiput backward)
• Sacral base into counternutation.
• Decreased AP diameter of the cranium.
• External rotation of the paired bones.

Craniosacral Extension:

• Extension of the midline bones.
• Sacral base into nutation.
• Increased AP diameter of the cranium.
• Internal rotation of the paired bones.

In craniosacral motion the sphenoid is the bone you are most concerned about. Try to focus on where it is moving in order to get the best idea of how to name dysfunctions.

 

[H0mersimps0n]

see what makes no GD sense to me is how can the AP diameter be decreasing if the spenoid is "flexing" anteriorly and the occiput is "flexing" posteriorly?



...thanks though JP

 

[H0mersimps0n]

anyone?

 

[Karina]

see what makes no GD sense to me is how can the AP diameter be decreasing if the spenoid is "flexing" anteriorly and the occiput is "flexing" posteriorly?



...thanks though JP

Someone asked the same question in class this week...I don't think anyone got answer for it, other than "you need to look at the whole picture, looking at 2 bones will tell you nothing about what's going on..."

Sorry...

 

[H0mersimps0n]

figures....

<disillusionment grows>


well just finished comlex step 2 anyway and there wasn't a single question with "nutation" in it... maybe 5-10 questions total hinting at craniosacral if that...

not a lot of OMT questions out of the 400, pretty surprised...

as usual they were poorly written, "guess what I'm thinking" type questions... nothing like the USMLE (which I've also taken step 1 and 2 so I know)...

a miserable test to take overall...

 

[Dr JPH]

see what makes no GD sense to me is how can the AP diameter be decreasing if the spenoid is "flexing" anteriorly and the occiput is "flexing" posteriorly?



...thanks though JP

Ahh...this is tough to understand at first.

Think about when the sphenoid flexes forward it is moving anterior BUT it is dipping down INFERIOR. Occiput if moving posterior BUT it is dipping down INFERIOR as well.

As these 2 bones move INFERIORLY they seem to "tuck under", thereby giving the sensation that the AP diameter is actually DECREASING.

When they extend, they move towards the center of the head but are moving SUPERIOR and "bulging out" in the AP direction.

I could show you with my hands but its tough to describe!!!

I will try to come up with a way to illustrate it.