cervical spine Flashcards
Whiplash associated disorders
- 80% of patients with WAD will reports symptoms up to 12 months
- 20-25% report severe disability
- little to no consistent evidence of boney or soft tissue injury
Signs and symptoms of WAD
- pain
- stiffness
- HA
- sleep disturbance
- cognitive interference
- sensory hypersensitivity
- heightened distress and anxiety
NEXUS criteria for imaging
- no posterior midline tenderness
- no evidence of intoxication
- a normal level of alertness
- no focal neurological deficit
- no evidence of a painful distracting injury (an injury thought to be painful enough to distract from a secondary neck injury)
Canadian C-spine rules
- high risk factors
- -age >65 y/o
- dangerous MOI
- parasthesia in extremities
- low risk factors
- -simple rear-ended MVA
- -sitting position in ER
- -delayed onset of neck pain
- -absence of midline C-Spine tenderness
- -able to actively rotate >45 degrees
Signs of neuropathy
- SLANSS score >12
- cold hypersensitivity
- allodynia or hyperalgesia
- non-mechanical patterns or symptoms
Hypotropia
one eye deviated down
Hypertropia
one eye deviated up
Exotropia
one eye deviated out
Esotropia
one eye deviated in
Low risk WAD patients
- 25-30%
- educate, reassure, and follow from arms length
Moderate risk WAD patients
- 50-65%
- advice, education and reassurance, watchful waiting with in person follow up.
High risk WAD patients
- 10-20%
- identify primary risk profile and consider initiating early targeted intervention
High confidence of risk factors for chronicity
- high pain >6/10
- high neck related disability
- post traumatic stress symptoms
- catastrophizing
- cold hypersensitivity
- mechanical hypersensitivity
High confidence of no effect on outcome
- angular deformity of the neck
- impact direction
- seating position
- awareness of collision
- head rest in place
- older age
- vertical speed
Predisposing factors for the development of chronic neck pain
- > 40 y/o
- co-existing LBP
- loss of strength in hands
- worrisome attitude
- poor quality of life
- long hx of neck pain
- cycling as a regular activity
- less vitality
Risk factors for new onset neck pain
- female sex
- older age
- high job demands
- being an ex smoker
- low social or work support
- previous hx of neck or low back disorders
Recovery from WAD timeline
- most of the recovery occurs within the first 6-12 weeks post injury with rate of recovery slowing afterwards.
Individuals can follow 1 of 3 trajectories with recovery from WAD
- mild problems with rapid recovery 45%
- moderate problems with some but incomplete recovery 40%
- severe problems with no recovery 15%
Risk factors for persistent problems when captured in acute or subacute WAD <6 weeks
- high pain intensity
- high self reported disability score
- high post traumatic stress symptoms
- strong catastrophic beliefs
- cold hyperalgesia
Symptoms of cervical radiculopathy
- pain radiating into arm coupled with motor, reflex, and/or sensory changes in the upper limb
- parasthesia or numbness
- median nerve test may be useful
Patients considered high risk for cervical fracture if…
- age >65 y/o
- dangerous MOI
- parasthesias in extremities
Risk factors indicating safe cervical ROM assessment
- patient able to sit in emergency room department
- was in a simple rear-end MVC
- patient is ambulatory at any time
- delayed onset of neck pain
- no midline cervical spine tenderness
- patient able to actively rotate the head 45 degrees in any direction.
Symptoms of cervical radiculopathy
- positive spurling
- positive traction/distraction test
- valsalva test
- negative neurodynamic test may rule it out
Cervical flexion rotation test
- maximally flex cervical spine then rotate R and L
- (+) if restriction of ROM, ROM <32 degrees
- mean for healthy individuals = 39-45
- patients with cervicogenic HA = 20-28 degrees
4 categories to classify neck pain
- neck pain with mobility deficits
- neck pain with movement coordination impairments (including WAD)
- neck pain with HA
- neck pain with radiating pain
Neck pain with mobility deficits symptoms
- central and/or unilateral neck pain
- limitation in neck motion that consistently reproduces symptoms
- associated shoulder girdle or UE pain may be present
Neck pain with mobility deficits symptoms expected exam findings
- limited cervical ROM
- neck pain reproduced at end range active and passive motions
- restricted cervical and thoracic segmental mobility
- intersegmental mobility testing reveals characteristic restriction
- neck and referred pain reproduced with provocation of the involved cervical and upper thoracic segments or cervical musculature
- deficits in cervicoscapulothoracic strength and motor control may be present in individuals with subacute or chronic pain.
Neck pain with movement coordination impairments (WAD) common symptoms
- mechanism of onset linked to trauma or whiplash
- associated (referred) shoulder girdle or UE pain
- associated varied non specific concussive signs/symptoms
- dizziness/nausea
- HA, concentration, or memory difficulties, confusion, hypersensitivity to mechanical, thermal, acoustic, odor, or light stimuli, heightened affective distress
Neck pain with movement coordination impairments expected exam findings
- (+) cranial cervical flexion test
- (+) neck flexor endurance test
- (+) pressure algometry
- strength and endurance deficits of neck muscles
- neck pain with mid-range motion that worsens with end-range positions
- point tenderness may include myofascial trigger points
- sensorimotor impairment may include altered muscle activation patterns, proprioceptive deficits, postural balance or control
- neck and referred pain reproduced by provocation of involved segments
Neck pain with headaches common symptoms
- non continuous unilateral neck pain and associated HA
- HA is precipitated or aggravated by neck movements or sustained positions/postures
Neck pain with headaches common exam findings
- (+) cervical flexion rotation test
- HA reproduced with provocation of the involved upper cervical segments
- limited cervical ROM
- restricted upper cervical segmental mobility
- strength, endurance, and coordination deficits of the neck muscles.
Neck pain with radiating pain common symptoms
- neck pain with radiating pain into involved UE
- UE dermatomal paresthesia or numbness, and myotomal muscle weakness
Neck pain with radiating pain expected findings
- neck and neck related radiating pain reproduced or relieved with radiculopathy testing
- (+) test cluster: upper limb mobility, spurling’s test, cervical distraction, cervical ROM
- may have UE sensory, strength, or reflex deficits associated with the involved nerve roots
Treatment for acute neck pain with mobility deficits
- thoracic manipulation
- neck ROM exercises
- scapulothoracic and UE stretching and strengthening
- cervical manipulation/mobilization (C level)
Treatment for subacute neck pain with mobility deficits
- provide neck and shoulder girdle endurance exercises
- may provide thoracic manipulation and cervical manipulation/mobilization
Treatment for chronic neck pain with mobility deficits
- thoracic manipulation and cervical manipulation/mobilization
- mixed exercise for cervical/scapulothoracic regions: neuromuscular exercise, stretching, strengthening, endurance training, aerobic conditioning, and cognitive affective elements
- dry needling, laser, or intermittent traction
- may provide trunk, shoulder girdle, and neck endurance exercises, patient education and counseling strategies.
Treatment for neck pain with movement coordination impairments
- education of the patient to: return to normal, nonprovocative preaccident activities ASAP, minimize use of collar, perform postural and mobility exercises to decrease pain and increase ROM
- reassurance to the patient that recovery is expected to occur within the first 2-3 months
- manual therapy
Chronic neck pain with movement coordination impairments
- patient education
- mobilization combined with an individualized, progressive submaximal exercise program with cervicothoracic strengthening, endurance, flexibility, and coordination
Treatment of neck pain with headache
- coordination
- strengthening
- endurance exercises
Treatment of acute neck pain with headache
- supervised instruction in active mobility exercises
- may utilize C1-2 self SNAG exercise
Treatment of subacute neck pain with headache
- cervical manipulation and mobilization
- C1-2 self SNAG exercises