Dr Ed Wittich, BSc. Applied Science, MSc.

Osteopathy, BAT Logic Performance Consultant

The importance of the head and neck in rowing

A major factor affecting total body movement and control in rowers is the tendency to instinctively move towards where your head/neck and eyes do, in much the same way that a panicking driver stares directly at the obstacle they least want to hit in an accident and, in doing so, directs attention and movements towards that object as a consequence. In other words where the head or eyes lead, the body will follow.

Some anatomy first. The cervical spine (the anatomical term for the neck) is made up of seven cervical vertebrae, all of quite varying shapes.

BIOMECHANICS

“Being able to achieve length in the neck and spine will improve body positioning for force production and breathing through the rowing stroke.”

FIG.1: THE HEAD AND NECK

These form joints between themselves via the main bodies of the vertebrae, like fists stacked upon each other, joined with vertebral discs sandwiched between them and with the all-important facet joints that help with the multi-movement planes our neck provides. Rotation, side-bending, flexion and extension; the neck has to be good at all of these and cope with a circa 4.5kg head sitting on top.

The skull is joined via an important group of articulations to the top two vertebrae and via muscular structures to the jaw and front of the neck. The bottom of the neck column is then linked to the thoracic vertebrae (mid spine) and has soft tissue connections to the upper ribs, collar bones and shoulders. There are many vital nerves and blood vessels in the neck as well, not to mention the path of the oesophagus and trachea with its cartilaginous protection. Basically, there is a lot going on with the neck!

The nerves running out from the neck play important roles such as supplying the diaphragm (spinal levels C 3, 4, 5) and sensory/motor supply to the arms. This explains why dysfunctions in the neck can have such wide effects.