Cervical and Thoracic Ortho Tests Flashcards
What test is used to assess muscle strength?
Oxford scale 0-5
5/5 is normal
What muscles do you test for T12-L3?
Hip flexors
- Patient is seated with legs hanging off the table and feet off the floor.
- Tell patient to lift thigh off the table and resist motion that is being applied downward
What muscles do you test for L3?
Knee Extension
- Patient is seated with legs hanging off the table and feet off the floor.
- Brace patients femur and grab distal tibia then tell patient to extend their knee and resist the downward pressure on the distal tibia.
What muscles do you test for L4?
Anterior Tibialis
- Patient seated with legs hanging freely and feet off the ground positioned by me in dorsiflexion.
- Tell patient to resist force that is applied up and in
What muscles do you test for L5?
Extensor Hallicus Longus
- Patient seated with feet flat on the ground with big toe in extension.
- Tell patient to resist against downward pressure with big toe.
What muscles do you test for S1?
Fibularis Longus/Brevis
- Patient is seated with legs hanging off table with feet flat on the ground and you position their foot into flexion and eversion.
- Tell patient to resist against force in the direction of dorsiflexion and inversion
L4 sensory test goes from where to where?
Medial tibia to medial 1st toe
L5 sensory test goes from where to where?
Anterolateral tibia to dorsum of foot including toes 2 and 3
S1 sensory test goes from where to where?
Fibula to lateral 5th toe
What is the reflex scale?
Wexler Scale 0-4
2/4 is normal
Where do you tap the reflex hammer for C5/C6?
Biceps tendon
Where do you tap the reflex hammer for C6?
Two hammer rolls up from the thumb on the brachioradialis tendon
Where do you tap the reflex hammer for C7?
On the triceps tendon
Where do you tap the reflex hammer for L4?
Infrapatellar tendon
Where do you tap the reflex hammer for S1?
Achilles tendon
Cervical flexion with inclinometer
Patient seated
Inclinometer on top of head and T1
Subtract bottom number from the top number for flexion value
Cervical extension with inclinometer
Patient seated
Inclinometer placed on top of patients head and on the spine of the scapula
Subtract bottom number from the top number for extension value
Lateral flexion with inclinometer
Patient seated
Inclinometer on top of occiput and on T1
Subtract bottom from top for lateral flexion value
Cervical rotation with inclinometer
Patient lying down
Inclinometer on patient forehead and have them rotate to both sides for rotation value
What is the normal values for thoracic flexion?
20-45 degrees
What are the normal values for thoracic extension?
25-35 degrees
What are the normal values for thoracic lateral flexion?
20-40 degrees
What are the normal values for thoracic rotation?
35-50 degrees
Thoracic flexion with inclinometer
Patient standing
Inclinometer on T1 and L1 and flex forward
Subtract bottom from top for thoracic flexion value
Thoracic extension with inclinometer
Patient standing
Inclinometer is on T1 and L1 and extend backwards
Subtract bottom from top for extension values
Thoracic lateral flexion with inclinometer
Patient standing
Inclinometer on T1 and L1 then laterally flex to both sides
Subtract bottom from top number for lateral flexion value
Thoracic rotation with inclinometer
Patient in child pose position
On hand goes behind head or behind back then look/turn that direction as far as possible
Inclinometer on T1 and L1
subtract bottom from top for thoracic rotation value
Lumbar flexion with inclinometer
Patient standing
Inclinometer on L1 and S2 then flex forward and subtract the bottom from the top for flexion value
Lumbar extension with inclinometer
Patient standing
Inclinometer on L1 and off to the side of S2 then have patient extend backwards
Subtract bottom from top for extension value
Lumbar lateral flexion with inclinometer
Patient standing
Inclinometer at the level of L1 and S2 then have patient laterally flex to both sides
Subtract bottom from top to get lateral flexion values
Why is Active Supine Occipito-Atlantal Cervical Flexion used and what is its procedure?
Used when a cervical flexion restriction is identified and helps to differentiate between upper and lower cervical dysfunction
- I would passively rotate the patients head as far as patients comfort then instruct patient to bring their chin to chest
- 20 degrees of occipital flexion is considered normal
What are the interpretations of the active supine occipito-atlantal cervical flexion test?
-If the patient can successfully nod their head 20 degrees, the lower cervical spine is most likely responsible for the restriction
- If the patient cannot nod their head 20 degrees, the upper cervical spine is most likely responsible for the restriction
Why is Cervical flexion rotation test used and what is the procedure?
Used when a cervical restriction is identified and helps to differentiate between upper and lower cervical rotation dysfunction
- I would passively flex the C-spine maximally and support their head
-Tell patient to rotate their head to one side, Hopefully to 45 degrees
What are the interpretations of the Cervical flexion rotation test?
- Pain during the first 45 degrees is indicative of upper cervical involvement
- If the patient can successfully rotate their head 45 degrees, then the lower cervical spine is most likely responsible for the restriction
- If the patient cannot rotate their head 45 degrees, the upper cervical spine is most likely responsible for the restriction
What are the procedures of O’Donoghue Maneuver?
Active ROM
Passive ROM
Resisted ROM/Isometric contractions
What are the interpretations of O’Donoghue Maneuver?
- Pain during active or resisted ROM signifies muscle strain
- Pain during passive ROM signifies ligamentous sprain
What are the procedures of the Cervical/Axial Compression Test?
Patient seated, sitting straight and looking forward.
I apply a progressively downward compression on the head
What are the interpretations of Cervical/axial compression test?
- A positive test is radiating pain into the arms or local pain in spine
- Test is indicative of nerve root compression due to foraminal stenosis, osteophytes; a space occupying lesion, or facet encroachment.
What are the procedures of Jackson Cervical compression test?
Patient seated, sitting straight up
I ask them to rotate their head to the unaffected side
I apply an axial compression onto the head
What are the interpretations of Jackson Cervical Compression Test?
- A positive test is radiating pain into the arms
- Test indicates nerve root compression from foraminal stenosis, osteophytes, space-occupying lesion, herniated disc, and fracture.
What are the procedures of the Modified Spurlings test?
The patient is seated and instructed to extend their head.
I laterally flex them toward the unaffected side and apply an axial load
What are the interpretations of Modified Spurlings
- Patient notes any pain or parathesia and the distribution thereof.
- This maneuver closes the intervertebral foramina on the side of the lateral flexion and reproduces the patients pain of radiculopathy indicating nerve root compression
What are the procedures of the Maximum Cervical Compression Test?
Patient seated, and asked to extend, laterally flex, and rotate towards the side of testing
What are the interpretations of Maximum Cervical compression
-Pain on the concave side indicates nerve root compression or facet involvement
-Pain on the convex (stretched) side indicates muscular strain
What is the procedure for Upper Limb Tension Test
**Median Nerve Bias
Patient lying down
Depress patients shoulder and grab their digits and push them into extension then slowly extend the e arm