Step 7 Storyboard

Estimated length: 28–35 minutes

Part One: Supine—Anterior and Lateral Structures

1. Initial Cranial Assessment

• Client supine and neutral

• Map every raised or recessed border

• Record tenderness and guarding

• Specifically document:

  • Frontal bone

  • Parietal bones

  • Temporal bones

  • Occipital bone

  • Coronal sutures

  • Sagittal suture

  • Lambdoid sutures

  • Squamous sutures

  • Occipitomastoid sutures

  • Occiput–atlas relationship

• Do not release the temporal or occipital bones yet

• Preserve these findings for the intermediate retest

Important phrase

“I am recording the temporal and occipital findings now, but I will first release the muscles that may be maintaining those cranial pulls.”

2. Frontal Bone Release

• Show frontal and coronal landmarks

• Demonstrate exact contacts

• Perform baseline test

• Yang phase

• Yin phase

• Matched retest

3. Parietal Bone Release

• Identify sagittal, coronal, lambdoid and squamous boundaries

• Compare right and left parietals

• Perform exact test

• Release one or both sides according to findings

• Retest

4. Anterior and Lateral Temporal Contributors

Depending on your method, demonstrate the relevant structures before directly addressing the temporal bone:

• Temporalis

• Auricularis muscles

• Epicranial aponeurosis

• Sternocleidomastoid at the mastoid attachment

• Other superficial lateral tissues you find involved

The sternocleidomastoid attaches to the mastoid process and superior nuchal line, so it can influence the same region being assessed around the temporal and occipital bones. NCBI

Key phrase

“Before treating the temporal bone as an isolated structure, I release the lateral tissues attaching to its mastoid and surrounding surfaces.”

5. Sphenoid Relationship and Release

• Use the internal and lateral anatomy insert

• Show the external contact region

• Perform assessment

• Yang-to-Yin release

• Retest

• Do not imply direct contact with the central skull base

6. Ethmoid and Deep Cranial-Base Orientation

• Use primarily anatomical illustrations

• Show only the safe external contact used in your method

• If no distinct technique exists, include this within the frontal or sphenoid demonstration

Transition One: Supine to Prone

Camera direction

• Pause treatment

• Show how the client turns safely

• Position the client prone

• Face centered in the face cradle

• Cervical spine neutral

• Shoulders relaxed

• Arms comfortable

• Hair secured away from the occiput and upper neck

Talking points

• The next section addresses the muscles pulling on the temporal bone, occipital bone, atlas and axis

• Work superficial to deep

• Retest between important layers whenever useful

Part Two: Prone—Posterior Muscular Attachments

7. Posterior Baseline

Before releasing anything:

• Palpate right and left muscle tone

• Compare tenderness

• Compare resting tension

• Identify muscular bands leading toward:

  • Mastoid process

  • Superior nuchal line

  • Inferior nuchal line

  • Posterior arch of C1

  • Spinous process of C2

• Document the tighter side

• Tell students which finding determines the treatment order

8. Splenius Capitis Release

Splenius capitis attaches to the mastoid process of the temporal bone and the lateral third of the superior nuchal line. It is therefore an important muscular contributor to both the temporal and occipital regions. NCBI

Camera

• Posterior-oblique view

• Show the mastoid attachment and direction of the fibers

• Keep both hands visible

Demonstrate

• How you distinguish splenius capitis from trapezius and semispinalis capitis

• Exact muscle contact

• Assessment along its fiber direction

• Yang phase

• Yin phase

• Retest the muscle

• Repeat on the opposite side as indicated

Exact phrase

“Splenius capitis connects the upper thoracic and lower cervical region to the mastoid process of the temporal bone. If it remains shortened, it may continue pulling on the region even after a direct cranial technique.”

9. Semispinalis Capitis Release

Semispinalis capitis lies deep to splenius capitis and attaches to the occipital region near the nuchal lines. It also forms the roof over the deeper suboccipital triangle. NCBI

Camera

• Posterior view with one side demonstrated at a time

• Show the muscle pathway toward the occiput

Demonstrate

• How you locate it beneath splenius capitis

• Exact contact and depth

• Direction of assessment

• Yang phase

• Slow Yin phase

• Retest

Talking points

• Release superficial tissues before attempting to access it

• Do not simply press harder to reach a deeper layer

• Follow the tissue until the deeper muscle becomes distinguishable

Exact phrase

“I do not force my way through the superficial layers. I release them until the semispinalis capitis becomes available to the hands.”

10. Suboccipital Muscle Group

Anatomy insert

• Rectus capitis posterior major

• Rectus capitis posterior minor

• Obliquus capitis superior

• Obliquus capitis inferior

• Occipital bone

• Posterior arch of C1

• Spinous process of C2

Important attachment distinction

• Rectus capitis posterior major attaches C2 to the inferior nuchal line

• Rectus capitis posterior minor attaches C1 to the inferior nuchal line

• Obliquus capitis superior attaches C1 to the occipital bone between the nuchal lines

• Obliquus capitis inferior attaches C2 to C1—it does not attach directly to the skull

These relationships are described in the standard suboccipital anatomy. NCBI

Demonstrate separately

Rectus capitis posterior major

• Locate C2 and inferior nuchal attachment

• Show fiber direction

• Perform release

• Retest

Rectus capitis posterior minor

• Locate the C1-to-occiput relationship

• Show smaller, more medial contact

• Perform release

• Retest

Obliquus capitis superior

• Show C1-to-occipital direction

• Demonstrate precise contact

• Perform release

• Retest

Obliquus capitis inferior

• Explain that it influences the atlas–axis relationship

• Show its C2-to-C1 direction

• Perform release

• Retest C1–C2 muscular tension

Safety and camera note

• Use gentle, anatomically controlled contact

• Do not demonstrate aggressive deep pressure

• The vertebral artery and suboccipital nerve are closely related to the suboccipital triangle. NCBI

• Students must see the exact muscle contact rather than interpreting a deep, hidden press

Key phrase

“Three of these muscles attach directly to the occipital bone. Obliquus capitis inferior does not, but it may influence the relationship between atlas and axis.”

11. Prone Posterior Retest

Before turning the client supine:

• Reassess splenius capitis

• Reassess semispinalis capitis

• Reassess the four suboccipital muscles

• Compare right and left resting tone

• Check whether the mastoid and occipital attachments feel less guarded

• Record what changed

Key phrase

“The posterior muscles now feel different, but the cranial contours must still be retested in the same position in which they were originally assessed.”

11. Prone Posterior Retest

Before turning the client supine:

• Reassess splenius capitis

• Reassess semispinalis capitis

• Reassess the four suboccipital muscles

• Compare right and left resting tone

• Check whether the mastoid and occipital attachments feel less guarded

• Record what changed

Key phrase

“The posterior muscles now feel different, but the cranial contours must still be retested in the same position in which they were originally assessed.”

Part Three: Return Supine—Cranial Retest and Final Releases

12. Intermediate Cranial Retest

This is one of the most important parts of the entire video.

Before performing another cranial technique:

• Repeat the original temporal-bone assessment

• Repeat the original occipital-bone assessment

• Repeat the squamous-suture comparison

• Repeat the lambdoid-suture comparison

• Repeat the occipitomastoid comparison

• Repeat the occiput–atlas assessment

State clearly

• Which findings changed from muscle work alone

• Which findings remain

• Whether the palpable step-off became smaller

• Whether tenderness or compliance changed

Exact phrase

“I have not yet performed the direct temporal or occipital release. Any change I feel now followed the release of their muscular attachments.”

That observation could become very valuable for your clinical dataset.

13. Final Temporal Bone Release

Now demonstrate:

• Remaining temporal asymmetry

• Exact external contacts

• Assessment direction

• Yang phase

• Yin phase

• Matched retest

Key phrase

“The muscular pull has been reduced. I am now addressing the temporal relationship that remains.”

14. Final Occipital Bone Release

Now demonstrate:

• Remaining occipital asymmetry

• Exact contacts

• Relationship to lambdoid and occipitomastoid sutures

• Yang phase

• Yin phase

• Matched retest

Key phrase

“The occipital muscles have been released first. I can now determine whether a separate occipital restriction remains.”

15. Occiput–Atlas, Atlas and Axis Releases

With the client supine and fully supported:

• Occiput–atlas assessment and release

• Atlas C1 assessment and release

• Axis C2 assessment and release

• No thrust

• No sudden rotation

• No exaggerated end-range positioning

• Retest after each distinct technique

16. Final Whole-System Retest

Repeat the same opening assessment:

• Frontal

• Parietal

• Temporal

• Occipital

• Major sutures

• Occiput–atlas

• C1

• C2

• Cervical comfort and mobility

• Client’s original symptoms

Closing teaching phrase

“First we released the structures pulling on the bones. Then we reassessed the bones and released only what remained. That distinction is what makes the treatment precise.”