How to Adjust Your Own Atlas Vertebra: An 8-Minute Routine

If you can shake your head from side to side easily, move it up and down fluidly, and bring it backwards and forward swiftly, a big ‘thank you’ goes to your agile atlas. However, if you frequently suffer from

• neck pain that hinders your head movement,
• burning back pain that keeps you from your favourite sport,
• dizziness or feel lightheaded,

these may be signs that your atlas bone is misaligned and could use our pain-relieving routine. There are a host of pain conditions, from TMJ to herniated discs, that can be traced back to a misaligned atlas. 

Located at the top of your cervical spine, the atlas is the very first of your cervical vertebrae and is connected to your head by two joints called the atlanto-occipital joints. The atlas was named after the Greek god who carried the world on his back because it performs a noteworthy job: the atlas supports your head and helps facilitate movement of the neck and head. Of all the bones that make up your cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine, the atlas is the most mobile.

. It’s also the most prone to injury and misalignment. 

If your atlas becomes misaligned, you may suffer from:

• Regular tension headaches. The most common of headaches, tension headaches, cause pain in your neck, head and behind your eyes.
• Stiff neck. Your neck feels sore, and moving your head is painful, particularly if you try to move it from side to side. 
• Neck aches, or your neck feels tender.
• Neck pain that is so intense it interrupts your sleep or prevents you from sleeping.
• Jaw pain. 
• Dizziness.
• A burning sensation that may travel from your neck to the shoulder and arm.
• Increased blood pressure.¹⁾

There are many causes for a misaligned atlas. These include:

• Poor posture. Slouching, sitting in a hunched over position, or craning your neck forward to stare at a screen for long periods of time can put pressure on your spinal cord and knock your atlas out of alignment. 
• Your body is put under an excessive amount of physical stress.
• Overworking the muscles in your neck. This usually happens from activities that require repetitive movements, like playing sports or dancing.
• An injury to the spine like falling or whiplash (which may cause cervical instability and chronic pain).

We’ve developed an 8-minute routine to adjust your atlas and help alleviate the pain that can result from atlas misalignment. All you need to perform the routine is our Mini Massage Ball. If you don’t have one, try using a tennis ball. Take a look at our YouTube video or check out the instructions below. 

Get Your Mini Foam Roller

Need a Mini Foam Roller? You can buy one in our online shop. While you’re there, take a look around. We’ve got lots of pain-relieving tools and products waiting to be added to your cart.

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HOW TO ADJUST YOUR OWN ATLAS VERTEBRA

To maximize the benefits of our atlas adjustment routine, exercise intensely and intelligently. Challenge yourself to stretch and massage at a high intensity that may produce an uncomfortable sensation. (This is a sign that the stretch is working.) However, do not push yourself to the point that your breaths become short and shallow, or you find that you’re holding your breath or clenching your teeth.