The Suboccipitals: Small Muscles, Big Impact
Releasing tension in tight suboccipitals and creating the opportunity for proper atlas and axis alignment becomes an important goal when clients report head and neck pain.
Erik Dalton, PhD
Erik Dalton, PhD, was the founder and executive director of the Freedom from Pain Institute. Educated in massage, osteopathy, and Rolfing, he maintained a practice in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for more than three decades. A pioneer in the massage and bodywork profession, Erik was a manual therapist for more than 40 years, an educator for more than 30. He died in January 2025, but his work and legacy in the realm of Myoskeletal Alignment Techniques continues. For more information, visit erikdalton.com.
ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR
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Countering the Sitting Epidemic
By integrating movement into our therapy toolbox, we can help clients embrace the full potential of their evolutionary design.
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Overcoming Movement Barriers
Graded exposure stretching works by systematically subjecting a client to their feared stimulus in a controlled manner, helping them break the cycle of avoidance and fear reinforcement.
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Undulation: Bring on the Wave!
Using the movements of belly dancers engages the body in rarely used or unfamiliar movement patterns. This enhances the body-mind connection and helps the body release unnecessary muscle guarding.
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Mastering the Sacroiliac Puzzle
Sacroiliac joint (SIJ) mechanics indicate that therapists should take a holistic, movement-focused approach to SIJ pain.
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Do You Get on Your Client's Nerves?
Three nerves that have caused the author trouble over the years include the sciatic nerve, cervical root nerves, and the superior cluneal nerve. The myoskeletal techniques outlined here can help avoid unintentionally colliding with your clients' nerves.