Which trauma is associated with the number 4 in the sequence?

• A. Inferior vertical strain
• B. Right lateral strain
• C. Left lateral strain
• D. Left sidebending rotation

Answer: (C)

In cranial osteopathy, patterns of motion are classified as strains, with lateral strains representing a side-to-side shift of the sphenoid and occiput. In a left lateral strain, the SBS moves toward the left, meaning the sphenoid and occiput are pulled apart sideways and the skull rests offset to the left. This pattern is typically produced by a lateral force or trauma that pushes the head from the side, rather than from above or behind.

The fourth pattern in the common sequence is the lateral strain, so the trauma linked to that position is a left lateral strain when the skull shifts left. This matches the idea of a lateral impact producing a leftward displacement of the SBS.

The other patterns describe different movements: a right lateral strain would shift the SBS to the right, a left sidebending rotation combines sidebending with rotation on an oblique axis, and inferior vertical strain involves an inferior displacement of the SBS.