Reversing the Retro (listhesis) Neck
A Substack Year In Review
Beth Howzen (Kais)
July 17, 2025
IG – Beth33139
The case of the straight or reversed neck gives us a chance to revisit some of my previous articles and combine the information and techniques used to effectively restore proper posture to the client’s neck (and body) to greatly reduce pain and improve performance.
Looking at the body holistically instead of in parts produced the rapid changes – See article Resolving Physical Issues (https://bethkais.substack.com/p/resolving-physical-issues) . Because the client’s main concern was TMJ and jaw pain specialists focused on this area only not considering the contributions the neck, spine and ribcage made in altering the jaw alignment and function. They also lacked appreciation for just how much the body alters its posture and entire position to get enough air (https://bethkais.substack.com/p/the-breathing-series) .
Adjusting the position of the not-so-painful spine and pelvis allows the body to safely make changes to the neck and jaw without directly using irritated or inflamed muscles or tissue. This makes treatment more acceptable to the brain and body for faster shifts back to neutral alignment for rapid pain relief. See low back position influences neck position (https://bethkais.substack.com/p/influence-of-pelvis-position-on-the) and Why Chasing Pain Never Resolves Issues (https://bethkais.substack.com/p/why-chasing-pain-never-resolves-issues) . Eyes looking down also adjust the position of where the head and neck meet to relieve pressure on the cranial nerves – see The Breathing Series – Repositioning (https://bethkais.substack.com/p/the-breathing-series-repositioning) and Correcting Misalignment – The Neck Part 1 (https://bethkais.substack.com/p/the-breathing-series-part-6-correcting) .
Once neck curve and pelvis posture return IAP can be restored to bring in enough air to maintain alignment – See The Abdominal Series (https://bethkais.substack.com/p/the-abdominal-series)
Gentle jaw and neck exercises now introduced to strengthen muscles to hold the neck and jaw in the proper place – See The Breathing Series.
Effective neck posture restoration follows the same sequence
- Restore airway and cervical curve
o Note – Achieving this may require addressing the position of the spine, pelvis and possibly bone/joint instability – See The Breathing Series
- Establish proper intra-abdominal pressure
o Note – Achieving this may require addressing the ability of the spine to bend/flex and the abdominal and “core” muscles to activate – See The Core Series (https://bethkais.substack.com/p/the-core-series-part-1-what-on-earth)
- Continue to train muscles challenged by our asymmetrical design
o Note – Achieving this may require restoring rotation to the body– See The Training Series (https://bethkais.substack.com/p/the-lazy-training-series)
Great Resource Article