Cervical spine and protraction and retraction

Hi there,

I am a year 2 physiotherapy student and need some clarification on an issue. Keep finding conflicting evidence about position of upper and lower cervical spine in protraction and retraction. In protraction is there increased cervical extension in the lower cervial and flexion in the upper? Whereas reteaction is the reverse?

If this is the case, when doing retraction exercises, your lower cervical is in flexion? aiming for the norm s shaped curve.....so then why would you progress the exercise into extension as well (retraction with extension)?

Many thanks if all this could be clarified :)

not the easiest thing i find to think about or clarify but ... i'll try!

this is the way i think about it, though not sure if "technically" or academically this is correct.

Protraction - your upper cervical spine is in extension. Try it - stick your chin out and sit badly (slumped). Lower cervical spine is in flexion.

Retraction - is opposite to protraction. Relative to neutral position, the upper cervical spine is in flexion, and lower cervical in extension .

maybe someone else can back me up on that. hope that helps!

i partially agree with the above openion
during protraction there occurs mild flexion at the lower cervical area,more flexion is at the upper thoracic segments.the upper cervical spine is in extension and there is also anterior translation of upper and middle segments (jutting)
and during retraction there occurs extension of upper thoracic,neutral-mild extension of lower cervical spine,upper segment can even in mild flexion,neutral.
since retractors and upper cervical flexors has more chance of being weak they are emphasized to strengthen simultaneously.
we will be doing a bit of over correction ,so that the posture becomes ideal in preventing postural related contribution to cervicobrachial disorders
this is my openion and expecting to see others perspective