I have spoken many times in my lectures about the subocipital musculature and eye coordination. The cervical ocular reflex is at play. Briefly described, the upper for cervical neuromere's project directly into the flocculonodular lobe of the cerebellum. Afferents from this area project upward to the medial, inferior and superior vestibular nucleii and subsequently to cranial nerves III, IV and down to VI in a pathway called the medial longitudinal fasciculus 1,2. These are intimately related to eye movement and are often disturbed in neck pain and whiplash disorders 3,4.

Needling these muscles can be an important part of the rehabilitation process. Here is a brief video of how to needle the seldem needled but often dysfunctional obliquus capitis inferior, which has connections directly to the dura 5,6. 

Needling the Obliquus Capitis Inferior from Ivo Waerlop on Vimeo.

1. Hirai N, Hongo T, Sasaki S, Yamashita M, Yoshida K. Neck muscle afferent input to spinocerebellar tract cells of the central cervical nucleus in the cat.Exp Brain Res. 1984;55(2):286-300

2. Hirai N, Hongo T, Sasaki S, Yoshida K. The neck and labyrinthine influences on cervical spinocerebellar tract neurones of the central cervical nucleus in the cat. Prog Brain Res. 1979;50:529-36.