Torticollis Treatment in Bedford, Sandy & Hitchin
Gentle, evidence-based physiotherapy for babies with a preferred head position, assessed and treated by a specialist paediatric physiotherapist.
Understanding Torticollis
What torticollis really is, and why early assessment matters.
If your baby always seems to look one way, tilts their head to one shoulder, or struggles to turn toward you when you feed them from a particular side, they may have torticollis. The word itself simply means “twisted neck.”
The most common form we see in the clinic is congenital muscular torticollis (CMT), where one of the neck muscles (the sternocleidomastoid) is tight or shortened on one side. Babies can be born with it, or it can develop in the first few weeks as a preferred head position becomes habitual. It affects roughly 1 in 250 newborns and, when picked up early, the outlook is excellent.
What worries most parents is not the diagnosis itself but the uncertainty around it. Is it painful? Will it correct itself? Are we too late? In the vast majority of babies I see, the answer to the last question is no. The earlier we start, however, the fewer sessions we usually need, and the lower the chance of related complications like a flat spot on the head (plagiocephaly) or later motor asymmetry.
Signs to look for
Common signs of torticollis
Torticollis can look subtle in the first few weeks. These are the signs I ask parents to watch for at home, especially during feeds, nappy changes and tummy time.
Consistent head tilt
The head leans toward one shoulder while the chin rotates toward the opposite side. It is most visible when your baby is calm and upright.
Strong looking preference
Your baby prefers to look one way, especially during feeds or when lying in the cot, and rarely tracks toys past the midline in the other direction.
Restricted head turning
One side turns freely, the other feels stuck or effortful. Passive rotation on one side is noticeably shorter than the other.
One-sided feeding
Your baby settles happily on one breast or bottle position but resists the mirror-image side, often arching or fussing when offered it.
Firm lump in the neck
A small, firm thickening on one side of the neck (called a pseudotumour). It is muscle tissue, not a growth, and it usually resolves with treatment.
Facial or skull asymmetry
One cheek looks fuller than the other, or there is a flat area on the back or side of the head. This is often the first thing family members notice.
If your baby is under six months old and you notice any of these signs, it is worth an assessment. If they are older, it is still worth an assessment. Treatment does not have an expiry date, we simply adapt the approach.
The Growing Together Approach
How we treat torticollis at the Sandy clinic.
Every baby starts with a full 60-minute 1:1 assessment. From there, treatment is built around a small number of things done consistently well, rather than a long list of exercises you cannot realistically fit into your day.
60-minute initial assessment
I take a full birth and feeding history, watch how your baby moves in your arms and on the mat, and measure both active and passive neck range so we have a clear starting point to work back to. You leave with a diagnosis, an honest prognosis, and written next steps.
Gentle hands-on treatment
Soft-tissue release and passive stretches for the shortened muscle, always calibrated to your baby’s cues. Never forced, never uncomfortable. Where appropriate, we add proprioceptive and postural work to help your baby build symmetry on their own.
A home programme you can actually do
Three or four short, playful positioning and stretching ideas woven into feeds, nappy changes and tummy time. Written down for you, filmed on your phone if that helps, and refined at each review.
Parent-led progress reviews
You are with your baby all week, not just for the hour we are together. We track head position, range of movement and any skull-shape changes at every visit, and adjust the plan based on what you are seeing at home.
Onward referral when it is genuinely needed
If a cranial helmet, an ophthalmology review or a paediatrician opinion would help, I will say so plainly and support the referral. Most babies I see never need one, and the assessment is where that decision gets made honestly.
Sessions are held at the Sandy studio. I see families from Bedford, Hitchin, Biggleswade, Potton and across Bedfordshire and North Hertfordshire. Home visits are available for very young babies where travel is difficult.
Frequently asked questions
Questions parents ask about torticollis
Not sure if what you're seeing is torticollis?
Book an initial assessment. You will leave the session with a clear diagnosis, a written home plan, and answers to the questions that have been keeping you up at night.
Start your journeyJudy Marton · HCPC Registered · MCSP · APCP Member · 10+ years in paediatric physiotherapy
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