HEART-NECK-PAIN-LINK
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THE PERICARDIUM
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[FASCIAL ANATOMY - OSTEOPATHIC APPROACH]
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This post and illustrations are an amazing follow up to my previous post about the pericardium and connection to neck pain.
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The heart (1) has obvious importance for sustaining life but it has a lesser known connection to the more “orthopedic” problems commonly seen amongst patients. Specifically, the fascial outer layering called the pericardium is directly connected to multiple tissues in the thorax and spine.
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On the anterior is the connection to the sternum (2) via the superior and inferior sternopericardiac ligaments (3,4). Superiorly, the link is the cervico-pericardiac ligament (5), which is connected to the deep cervical fascia (green) and houses the trunk of the brachio-cephalic vein (6). Inferiorly, the pericardium directly connects to the diaphragm (7). Lastly, and perhaps most interesting, is the posterior-superior connection to the cervical spine. The Vertebro-pericardiac ligament (8) directly connects the heart to the anterior aspects of C6 and C7.
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Tension on bones is not just muscular, but can be from visceral connections such as this. Tension in this tissue can contribute the anterior translation and sheer forces in the vertebrae and discs. This raises the question why we see so much degeneration, disc herniation and pain at the lower cervical spine. Perhaps a direct connection of cervical problems to poor breathing patterns? Maybe we can positively influence the heart via the neck as therapists? The anatomical LINKS provide us the possibilities!
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How I manipulate the pericardium with a fascial recoil technique via the sternum you can see in my previous post. You can influence the pericardium via the superior and inferior sternopericardiac ligaments (3,4).
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Credit: @anatomylinks
(Physio Osteo Book)
