SECRET NO MORE: say hello to your hyoid
Getting to know this small bone tucked away under your chin can provide fresh ways to organise your head, ribs and pelvis, as well enhance the use of your voice.
You probably already know that the hyoid is shaped like a horseshoe and is the only bone that does not form a joint with any other bone in the body - leaving aside sesamoid bones like your knee caps. It’s located at the top of your throat like a secret under your chin, providing anchorage for various muscles and ligaments. It plays a part in chewing and swallowing, vocalisation, and in stabilising the position of the larynx.
1. STRUCTURE & LOCATION
The U-shaped bone of the hyoid comprises the body with its two lesser cornuas or horns (making up the curved base of the U), and two greater cornuas/horns (forming the two vertical sides of the U). The body is about 2.5cm wide and forms two fibrocartilaginous joints with the greater horns which are about 3cm long. The horseshoe only begins to fuse together in our forties.
The two short, lesser horns are attachment points for the stylohyoid ligament which reaches from the hyoid to the styloid processes of the temporal bones, suspending the hyoid in place, roughly in front of the second and third cervical vertebra (C2/3).
In Image 1 below, I’ve highlighted the temporal bone, hyoid and C2 and C3; you’ll also see the stylohyoid ligament. In Image 2, I’ve removed the mandible and displayed the tongue, pharynx, and oesophogus. And, in Image 3, I’ve highlighted the mandible, hyoid and first rib - do you see a connection between their angles?
For such a small bone, the hyoid provides attachments for eight muscles: four above that connect to the mandible and temporal bones, and four below that connect to the sternum and the scapula (superior border). From all this, we might revisit how to arrange the position of the head in relation to the rib cage and shoulder girdle, and explore how this might affect our voice and breath.
2. FINDING THE HYOID BONE
It is possible to palpate this little bone but it can be very sensitive, so you need to go really gently with the following directions and I would say for a very short duration; maybe no more than a minute.
Use your thumb and index finger to find the corners of your jaw and slide downward and forward onto the throat. You need to land above the the thyroid cartilage (Adam’s apple), and you should find that your finger and thumb are now on the bony landmarks of the greater horns - my experience is that they feel a bit “pointy” amongst the softness of the throat.
As your hyoid is suspended at the level of the root of your tongue, when you swallow you should feel it rise and then return to its home position. You could also try a small yawn and notice it drop as the throat opens.
3. SUPPORT FOR THE FRONT BODY
Did you read the Field Notes on finding organ support? If not, take a look at it here. I spoke about ‘taking the slack out’ of the digestive tract as a support for the bony spine. Another way to organise is to consider the Deep Front Line (DFL) as identified in Tom Myers’ Anatomy Trains. You can find online images and information here.
The DFL begins in the soles of the toes and feet, includes aspects of the pelvic floor, psoas, and diaphragm, the Anterior Longitudinal Ligament (the ALL - one of my favourite structures that provides a cohering support for the spine), and all of the hyoid muscles to reach its destination at the mandible and temporal bones.
Consider now how you might draw up through the DFL from feet to jaw, as if you will ‘hook’ this connective tissue fabric under the corners of your jaw, on the greater horns of the hyoid. It will have the feeling of rebalancing your skull, rib cage and pelvis, centering them over your feet, and add a greater sense of tone through all the tissues (not just muscle tone). If standing isn’t an option, then you can certainly explore from sitting as well.
4. SPINAL SUPPORT
I’ll explain more and add a video clip in the Companion Notes, however do try to softly explore the hyoid bone as a support for rotation of the spine. You can do this by first slowly turning your head from side to side with attention in your vertebrae; your felt experience will likely land towards the back of the neck.
Now, find the hyoid bone with your finger tip and thumb tip and explore initiating from the greater horns, that is to say guide one of the greater horns to lead and draw the head and neck into rotation and then vice versa. Your attention is likely to have now shifted forward to the throat and your cervical spine is somewhat in the background of your felt experience.
It can feel as if the head is being carried around, almost floated around, and is centred more in relation to the organs of the body via the oesophogus and trachea.
5. VOICE
The muscles of the hyoid control the movement and position of the layrnx and as a consequence affect vocal quality and resonance through changing the tension in the vocal cords. When the hyoid bone and the larynx are elevated, the vocal cords become tighter, resulting in higher-pitched sounds. Conversely, when the hyoid bone and the larynx are depressed, the vocal cords soften, producing lower-pitched sounds.
The position of the hyoid bone also alters the shape of the pharynx and oral cavity which in turn modifies the sound of the voice. For instance, when the hyoid is elevated the voice may sound light and bright, when it is lowered it can sound deep and mellow.
Singers and public speakers use targeted exercises to establish more vocal control. These include tongue and jaw movements, vocal explorations like lip trills and ‘sirens’, humming and nasal resonance, and of course postural awareness. If you use your voice as a teacher, for example, it might be worth considering a few vocal drills especially if you are working with large groups in big spaces or outdoor spaces, or if you have a busy schedule of classes and workshops.
AND, FINALLY FOR YOU, IF YOU PRACTICE YOGA
If you use sounding in your practice, like the bījamantra (seed sounds) or indeed if you practice in a tradition where mantra is integral to it, then do think about vocal exercises as part of your preparation. These chants are in a language that is not (usually) your mother-tongue, which means vocal exercises can be of huge benefit in learning to shape the mouth and to use the tongue to create consonant and vowel sounds that are unfamiliar to the lexicon of your natal nervous system.
I would also urge you to learn how to make the sounds and intone the chants from a native speaker or at the least from someone who has deeply studied Sanskrit, like Lucy Criswel of Orignal Wisdom, or Elena Jessup of the Modern Sanskrit Collective. - it is a language of sacred utterances and its integrity and longevity is built on precision.
That’s it for now, I hope this has been interesting and a springboard for your own explorations. There’ll be more insights and some practical guides in the Companion Notes.
with warm wishes,
Beverley