Massage therapy · Kitchener–WaterlooWry Neck

Wry Neck is a condition in which the neck muscles cause the head to tilt and twist to one side, with the chin pointing toward the other side (MedlinePlus, 2026). It can be present at birth (congenital), for example if the baby's head was in the wrong position in the womb or the neck muscles or blood supply were injured (MedlinePlus, 2026). Wry Neck is sometimes known as torticollis.

Wry neck can happen in adults or babies. In adults it often comes on overnight after sleeping with the neck in an awkward position (Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, 2024; NHS, 2023). The neck is painful, with muscle spasm, and movement is limited.

Wry Neck Anatomy

The neck is made up of the vertebrae of the upper spine, held together by strong ligaments and muscles. In wry neck, the problem is usually in the neck muscles rather than the spine itself. In babies, the muscle involved is usually the sternocleidomastoid, which runs down the side of the neck; it is tight and shortened (AAOS, n.d.). In adults with sudden wry neck, the muscles supporting the neck go into spasm (Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, 2024).

Wry Neck in Babies

In babies the exact cause is often unknown. It may be related to the baby's position (for example breech) or crowding in the womb (AAOS, n.d.), and forceps delivery or trauma at birth may contribute (Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, 2023). Anyone can develop the condition after a nervous system or muscle injury, and in many cases the cause is not known, which is called idiopathic torticollis (MedlinePlus, 2026). A soft, painless lump may be felt in the neck muscle in the first weeks, and it goes away before 6 months of age (AAOS, n.d.). If you notice your baby holds their head tilted to one side, see your family doctor or nurse practitioner, or your public health nurse.

How to Treat Wry Neck

Treatments you may want to discuss with your family doctor or nurse practitioner

Tips

• Sudden wry neck in adults usually gets better on its own within a few days, though it sometimes takes a little longer (Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, 2024).
• With treatment, most babies regain full neck movement; without treatment it may cause lasting limitation, so get it assessed by your doctor, a physiotherapist or me (Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, 2023).
• If you are having trouble with normal daily tasks, discuss your concerns with me.
• Do not drive or cycle while you cannot move your neck properly, and do not wear a neck collar unless a doctor tells you to – it is better to keep your neck moving (NHS, 2023).
• Use a low, firm pillow and avoid keeping your neck in one position for a long time (NHS, 2023).
• Do the gentle mobility exercises I recommend.
• See your family doctor or nurse practitioner if you have numbness or weakness in your hands or feet, pins and needles or a cold arm, severe pain or pain spreading down the arm, or pain not improving after a few days (Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, 2024; NHS, 2023).
• Wry Neck that comes on after an injury or with an illness may be serious: seek help right away – call 911 or go to the emergency room at your nearest hospital (MedlinePlus, 2026).

In adults, wry neck usually comes on suddenly and settles within days. In babies, it's a tight neck muscle that needs gentle, regular stretching. Either way, my aim is to ease the tight muscles without forcing them, because a muscle in spasm grips harder if it's pushed, and to get the neck moving comfortably again.

I start by asking how it came on, then assess how your neck moves, which muscles are tight, and your posture, and check sensation, reflexes and strength in your arms. If anything suggests a nerve problem, or an injury or illness behind it, I'll ask you to see a doctor first.

Adults: Early On

• Lying on your back or good side, head well supported, with slow breathing
• Gentle massage on the side that isn't sore first, then around the spasm: back of the neck, base of the skull, shoulders
• You push gently against my hand, then I ease your head a little further, always pain-free
• Warm applications in the clinic, and a wrapped hot water bottle at home

Adults: As It Eases

• More direct work on the tight muscles as they soften
• Gentle manual traction and small, slow joint movements, never quick or forceful
• Short, gentle stretches and pain-free neck movement at home
• Pillow and posture habits: reading held up in front of you, a pillow that fills the gap between head and shoulder

Babies

1. MedlinePlus (2026) Torticollis. Bethesda, MD: National Library of Medicine. Available at: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000749.htm (Accessed: 7 October 2026).
2. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (n.d.) Congenital muscular torticollis (twisted neck). OrthoInfo. Available at: https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/congenital-muscular-torticollis-twisted-neck/ (Accessed: 7 October 2026).
3. Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust (2023) Congenital muscular torticollis. Available at: https://royalberkshire.nhs.uk/media/ctxmja25/congenital-muscular-torticollis_dec23.pdf (Accessed: 7 October 2026).
4. Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust (2024) Acute torticollis (wry neck). Available at: https://royalberkshire.nhs.uk/media/ufzl1bno/acute-torticollis-wry-neck-_jun24.pdf (Accessed: 7 October 2026).
5. NHS (2023) Neck pain. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/neck-pain/ (Accessed: 7 October 2026).