Clinical Assessment - Cervical Spine

Question 1

Spurling’s Test

Answer 1

Positive for Cervical Radiculopathy
Supine - Extend, lateral flexion, ipsilateral rotation and pressure on axial head
Positive when pain down arm on side head is. narrows intervertabral foramen

Question 2

Cervical Compression Test

Answer 2

Positive for Cervical Radiculopathy
Supine - axial pressure on neutral head
Positive when pain down arm (nice to follow w/ distraction) narrows intervertabral foramen

Question 3

Distraction Test

Answer 3

Positive for symptoms of Radicular nature

Supine - hands on occiput then distracts. looking for pain RELIEF when distracted.

Question 4

Cervical Upper Quadrant Test

Answer 4

Positive for Facet Joint Irritation C0 - C2
Supine - Extends head, therapist ipsilateral flex head, and contralateral rotation
Pain locally due to closeing interverterbral foramen

Question 5

Cervical Lower Quadrant Test

Answer 5

Positive for Facet Joint Irritation C2 - C7
Supine - Extends head, therapist ipsilateral flex head, and Ipsilateral rotation
Pain locally due to closeing interverterbral foramen

Question 6

Valsalva TEst

Answer 6

positive if pain down arm, indicates space occupying lesion, tumor, hernated disc, stenosis, etc

Question 7

Tinel’s Sign

Answer 7

Positive for BRACHIAL PLEXUS lesion
Supine- neck slightly laterally flexed, taps patient in brachial plexus area (TVPS of C5 - T1)
tingling sensation down that side arm, means nerve in intact but healing

Question 8

Sharp-Purser Test

Answer 8

Positive for SUBLUXATION OF ATLAS OF THE AXIS (tranverse lig. tear)
Seated - hold patients forehead, thumb on spinous process. Patient asked to flex head, hold head while patient flexes. positive if CLUNK sound or head slides backwards.

Question 9

Transverse ligament Stress Test

Answer 9

Testing TRANSVERSE LIGAMENT between C1- C2
Supine - Support occiput with 3-5 fingers, fingers on occiput and c0,c1,c2 and moved ANT without flexion or extension hold 10-20 s
any type of strange nausea, spasm, numb, feeling of lump in throat, etc is positive
posittive transverse lig or hypermobility

Question 10

rotation / side flexion of the c spine requires…

Answer 10

coupled movement! between bilateral facet joints.

Question 11

TVP’s are made up of 2 parts -

Answer 11

1. anterior portion - foramen for vertebral body

2. post. portion - containing 2 articular facets

Question 12

Active ROM of cervical spine
flexion
extension
side flexion
rotation
c spine natural curvature

Answer 12

flexion - 80-90 
extension 70
side flexion 20-45
rotation 70-90
c spine natural curvature 30-40

Question 13

Cspine rule outs

Answer 13

TMJ (3 knuckle), shoulder, t-spine,vertebral basilar arterty (BF to brain) , hautant’s test

Question 14

Hautant’s Test

Answer 14

Shoulder flexed 90 degrees, eyes closed, full neck and head rotation with extension for 30s