Left Torticollis? Your First Homework: Carry Your Baby This Way 👶🏻 | Torticollis Pediatric PT #65

How to Carry a Baby with Torticollis | Pediatric Physical Therapy How you carry a baby with torticollis can influence their whole-body alignment. In this video, pediatric physical therapist Amy Sturkey demonstrates a simple carrying position using Total Motion Release (TMR®) principles to help address left torticollis for parents 👩🏻‍🦰👩🏽‍🦱👨🏾‍🦲, caregivers 👩🏾‍⚕️👨🏼‍⚕️, and therapists working with babies. Torticollis is often thought of as a neck problem, but it is usually part of a larger pattern of asymmetry through the trunk and pelvis. Positioning and everyday handling can either reinforce that pattern — or gently help restore balance. In this video, pediatric physical therapist Amy Sturkey demonstrates a simple way to carry a baby who has left torticollis using principles from Total Motion Release (TMR®). This carrying position places the baby’s trunk into the direction that is typically easier — upper body twisting left and lower body twisting right — which follows the TMR concept of “shorten to lengthen.” Rather than stretching a tight muscle directly, TMR works by positioning the body in the direction of ease so the restricted side can relax and reorganize. 👶🏻 Meet Bode, a typically developing 7-month-old who does not have torticollis. He helps demonstrate the positioning used to carry a baby with left torticollis so families 👩🏽‍🍼👨🏿‍🍼👩🏼‍🍼 and therapists can clearly see the trunk and pelvic rotation involved. This technique is often used as home practice between therapy visits to help determine whether a baby’s torticollis is driven more by trunk asymmetry or true neck tightness. ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction 00:18 – Natural twisting patterns in newborns 00:46 – Why left torticollis is more common 01:09 – Neck vs whole-body posture 01:29 – TMR “shorten to lengthen” concept 02:05 – Demonstration of carrying position 02:32 – Upper trunk rotation and pelvic rotation 03:05 – How this helps assess trunk involvement 03:30 – Summary ⚠️ Important note Total Motion Release® (TMR®) is a registered trademark. This video reflects clinical education and application by a pediatric physical therapist and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the TMR organization. 📚 Learn more about Total Motion Release (TMR) Official pediatric TMR training and philosophy: https://www.tmrtots.com/ (Link provided for reference only and does not imply affiliation or endorsement.) 📘 Clinical Practice Guidelines for Congenital Muscular Torticollis https://pediatricapta.org/clinical-practice-guidelines/Congenital-Muscular-Torticollis.cfm 🧩 Watch the entire torticollis playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAkJbMrHyKjOS1oT3rtE8PzHf_KL-dAz9 ⚠️ Safety Note These videos are for educational purposes and are not a replacement for in-person physical therapy. Every child is unique. Please do not try these techniques if your baby’s health or motor skills differ significantly from Bode’s. (I cannot provide treatment recommendations for a child I have not personally evaluated.) 📧 Contact amysturkey@gmail.com 🌐 Website www.pediatricPTexercises.com 🪶 Accessibility Closed captions have been reviewed and corrected. To turn on captions: Click CC To change languages: ⚙️ Settings → Subtitles/CC → Choose language or Auto-translate If captions block important details, they can be toggled off in the video player. 📚 Books by Amy Sturkey (Amazon) “P is for Poop and Pee Accidents” – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BLSRJ483 “A is for Anxiety” – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09LXQ3W6V “A is for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder” – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08QH9H5HR “C is for Cerebral Palsy” – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088TSJCYP “D is for Down Syndrome” – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079P8HH49 “A is for Autism” – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071F4FFTB 🧠 Professional PT Books Pediatric Physical Therapy Strengthening Exercises for the Hips – https://www.amazon.com/dp/0998156736 Pediatric Physical Therapy Strengthening Exercises for the Knees – https://www.amazon.com/dp/0998156760 Pediatric Physical Therapy Strengthening Exercises for the Ankles – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08TX2ZCFD