Bradley Blair Osteopath

Bradley Blair Osteopath Osteopathy

The borders and floor of the posterior triangle of the neck The posterior triangle of the neck is an anatomical area loc...
16/11/2025

The borders and floor of the posterior triangle of the neck

The posterior triangle of the neck is an anatomical area located at the posterolateral aspect of the neck.

The posterior triangle of the neck has three borders:

Anterior – posterior border of the sternocleidomastoid.
Posterior – anterior border of the trapezius muscle.
Inferior – middle 1/3 of the clavicle.
The roof is formed by the investing layer of fascia, and the floor is formed by the prevertebral fascia

The posterior triangle of the neck contains many muscles, which make up the borders and the floor of the area.

A significant muscle in the posterior triangle region is the omohyoid muscle. It is split into two bellies by a tendon. The inferior belly crosses the posterior triangle, travelling in an supero-medial direction, and splitting the triangle into two. The muscle then crosses underneath the SCM to enter the anterior triangle of the neck.

Your spine isn’t a toy set and nothing is ‘popping out’ waiting for someone to click it back in. That’s not how the body...
15/11/2025

Your spine isn’t a toy set and nothing is ‘popping out’ waiting for someone to click it back in. That’s not how the body works.
Manipulation helps pain because it influences the nervous system and helps people move with a bit more confidence — not because anyone is rearranging your skeleton.

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The brachial plexus is a network of nerve fibres that supplies the skin and musculature of the upper limb. It begins in ...
15/11/2025

The brachial plexus is a network of nerve fibres that supplies the skin and musculature of the upper limb. It begins in the root of the neck, passes through the axilla, and runs through the entire upper extremity.

The plexus is formed by the anterior rami (divisions) of cervical spinal nerves C5, C6, C7 and C8, and the first thoracic spinal nerve, T1.

In this article, we shall look at the anatomy of the brachial plexus – its formation and anatomical course through the body.

The brachial plexus is divided into five parts; roots, trunks, divisions, cords and branches (a good mnemonic for this is Read That Damn Cadaver Book). There are no functional differences between these divisions – they are simply used to aid explanation of the brachial plexus.

The ‘roots’ refer the anterior rami of the spinal nerves that comprise the brachial plexus. These are the anterior rami of spinal nerves C5, C6, C7, C8, and T1.

At each vertebral level, paired spinal nerves arise. They leave the spinal cord via the intervertebral foramina of the vertebral column.

Each spinal nerve then divides into an anterior and a posterior ramus. The roots of the brachial plexus are formed by the anterior rami of spinal nerves C5-T1 (the posterior divisions innervate the skin and musculature of the intrinsic back muscles).

After their formation, these nerves pass between the anterior and medial scalene muscles to enter the base of the neck.

I did a post on spinal manipulation. I talked about the mechanism, the reality of what it can and can’t do, and how peop...
14/11/2025

I did a post on spinal manipulation. I talked about the mechanism, the reality of what it can and can’t do, and how people exaggerate its effects. At no point did I mention chiropractors. Not once. Yet here we are — chiropractors acting like I walked into their clinic and slapped the treatment table.

If you didn’t feel personally targeted, you wouldn’t be in the comments writing essays. That’s the funny part. I’m talking about the technique. You’re talking about your profession. That tells me more about you than it does about my post.

And for the people insisting they “help people”… I never said you didn’t. I never suggested your work is useless. I never said manipulation doesn’t help pain — it absolutely does. I use it myself. The point was about what it does, not about the identity you’ve wrapped around it.

If a simple explanation of spinal manipulation offends you, then the post wasn’t for you. And maybe ask yourself why it offended you in the first place. If the shoe doesn’t fit, you don’t need to wear it.

14/11/2025

Low back pain treatment.

Subscapularis is a triangular shoulder muscle located in the subscapular fossa of scapula. Attaching between the scapula...
13/11/2025

Subscapularis is a triangular shoulder muscle located in the subscapular fossa of scapula. Attaching between the scapula and the proximal humerus, it is one of the four muscles of the rotator cuff, along with supraspinatus, infraspinatus and teres minor.

Rotator cuff muscles act together to stabilise and steer the humeral head within the glenoid cavity during various movements of the upper limb.

Origin: Subscapular fossa of scapula

Insertion: Lesser tubercle of humerus

Action: Shoulder joint: Arm internal rotation

Stabilises humeral head in glenoid cavity

Innervation: Upper and lower subscapular nerves (C5 - C6)

Blood supply : Suprascapular artery, axillary artery, subscapular artery

There’s this ongoing myth in manual therapy that palpation is some sort of superpower, as if a pair of fingertips can de...
13/11/2025

There’s this ongoing myth in manual therapy that palpation is some sort of superpower, as if a pair of fingertips can detect microscopic rotations, subtle “faults,” or whatever story someone wants to sell. A lot of what gets passed off as “skill” is actually palpatory pareidolia — the brain convincing you you’re feeling something that isn’t there. I’m not saying don’t palpate, it’s part of an assessment, but the idea that it’s reliable on its own is one of the biggest illusions in this profession. When you look at what the evidence shows, and when you see how practitioners can’t even agree on the same findings, the whole thing collapses very quickly. And for the fragile people reading this, if this post offends you, then this post is not for you. Simple as that. If you do find yourself offended, it’s worth asking why this bothers you so much in the first place.

Misalignment 🤦🏾‍♂️🫠
11/11/2025

Misalignment 🤦🏾‍♂️🫠

Spinal manipulation can help people feel better, yes — but it’s not realigning bones or changing structure. The spine is...
10/11/2025

Spinal manipulation can help people feel better, yes — but it’s not realigning bones or changing structure. The spine isn’t that fragile, and you’re not “putting it back in place.” It’s about reducing pain and improving movement. 😎👍🏾😎

10/11/2025

I got over 1,000 reactions on one of my posts last week! Thanks everyone for your support! 🎉 Probably the one on spinal manipulation 😂

10/11/2025

Around 80% of people will experience lower back pain at some point in their lives. It can range from mild to severe, and last a few days or much longer. Regardless of how it happens, back pain can make everyday tasks difficult, which is why it’s important to follow the advice of your healthcare professional.

One common cause of lower back pain is a disc herniation, sometimes called a “disc prolapse.”

In this video, I’m showing an exercise using a Swiss ball. I’m seated and slowly leaning forward with my arms resting on the ball. When someone has a disc herniation, bending forward is often quite painful, so this movement should be introduced gradually and gently.

The aim here is to help reintroduce bending forward in a controlled and supported way. Many people avoid bending because of fear or pain, but over time it’s important to start moving again within a comfortable range.

This is just one way to do it — you don’t have to use a ball. You could try the same thing sitting and reaching towards a table, or standing and slowly bending forward. The key is to reintroduce movement gradually, as the area becomes less irritable.

If you’re dealing with disc-related pain, please see a licensed healthcare professional. This exercise may help some people, but not everyone.

I know this will upset a few people, but honestly, I don’t care.I’m not telling anyone to go and have surgery — that’s n...
08/11/2025

I know this will upset a few people, but honestly, I don’t care.

I’m not telling anyone to go and have surgery — that’s not the point. The point is that the spine is incredibly strong. To think you’re changing the shape or alignment of someone’s spine with your hands is pure delusion.

I’m not saying spinal manipulation doesn’t help pain — it certainly can. But let’s stop pretending it’s doing something it’s not. If you think you’re “realigning” vertebrae or changing spinal structure with a click, you’re seriously kidding yourself.

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