Neurological Examination - Limbs and Gait Flashcards

1
Q

What is the order of the examination of the Limbs & Gait?

A

Observation

Tone

Power

Coordination

Reflexes

Sensation

Gait

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2
Q

What are we looking for when inspecting the upper limbs?

A

Muscle atrophy

Fasciculations

Scars

Skeletal deformity

Involuntary movements

Tremor

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3
Q

What does muscle atrophy suggest?

A

LMN lesion

Long term UMN lesion, due to disuse

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4
Q

What do fasciculations indicate?

A

LMN lesion (hard to see)

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5
Q

How is a tremor described?

A

Speed and amplitude

Is it worse at rest or during movement

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6
Q

What are the 2 commonly found tremors and what are their features?

A

Physiological tremor - Fine, fast upper limb tremor caused by alcohol, anxiety, drugs, hyperthyroidism

Parksonian tremor - Coarse, slow, greater at rest and mostly asymetrical in upper limbs

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7
Q

What is tone and how it described?

A

This is the resistance felt by examinaer when moving a joint through its range of motions

Increased or decreased tone

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8
Q

What are the 2 main types of increased tone?

A

Spasticity - velocity dependent resistance to passive movement, the resistance of tone varies throughout the range of joint movements

Rigidity - sustained resistance to joint movement, even with slow movement. The increased tone is constant throughout the entire movement of joint. Lead-pipe rigidity = throughout movement, cog-wheel rigidity = jerky feel, present in Parkinsons.

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9
Q

What is important to consider when testing for tone?

A
  • Ensure the movements are passive and the patient is totally relaxed
  • Quick but gentle movements can help ensure they patient is relaxed
  • Ensure to check for any pain before proceding
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10
Q

Which areas of the upper limb are tested for power?

A

Shoulder

Elbow

Wrist

Fingers

Intrinsic hand muscles

Pronator drift

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11
Q

How is power graded?

A

0-5 on MRC scale

0 = no power

5 = full power

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12
Q

What is an important point to consider when testing joint power?

A

Stabilise the limb above the joint being tested so only one joint is being tested (e.g support forearm when testing wrist power)

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13
Q

How is the power of the shoulder tested?

A

Patient extend elbows to 90 degrees

Push hard up against you as you push down

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14
Q

How is the power of the elbow tested?

A

Hold patients hand

Stabilise joint by holding arm above elbow joint

‘Pull me towards you’

‘Push me away’

Repeat on other arm

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15
Q

How is the power of the wrist tested?

A
  • Stabilise wrist joint by holding forearm
  • Patient makes a fist
  • Push up against your hand
  • Push down against your hand
  • Repeat on other arm
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16
Q

How is the power of the hands assessed?

A
  • Put fingers out straight
  • Try and hold them there as I push down
  • Squeeze my fingers
  • Spread fingers wide and try to help them apart as I try push them together
  • Turn hand over so palm facing upwards
  • Push their thumb up as you try to push it down
17
Q

How is pronator drift assessed?

A
  • Arms stretched out, palms to ceiling
  • Close eyes
  • Watch for any drifitng of arms downwards or pronating
18
Q

How is coordination of the upper limb tested?

A
  • Arms outstrecthed and look for any postural tremor
  • Finger-nose test:
  • Touch my finger with your index finger, then touch your nose then touch my finger again
  • Please repeat this is as quickly as you can
  • Test both sides
  • Rapid alternating hand movements:
  • Hold left hand out flat and tap it repeatedly with the right hand
  • The tap and turn the right hand over rapidly
  • Repeat with the opposite hands
19
Q

What reflexes are tested in the upper limb and what nerve levels are being tested in each?

A

Biceps (C5/6)

Supinator (C6)

Triceps (C7)

20
Q

How are reflexes recorded?

A

+ reduced

++ normal

+++ exagerrated

+- present only with reinforcement

  • absent
21
Q

If a reflex cannot be elicted normally, what additional step must be performed?

A

Reinforcement - ask the patient to squeeze the opposite hand just as you strike the tendon

22
Q

What are the components of testing sensation in the upper limb?

A

Light touch

Pin prick

Vibration

Joint position sense

23
Q

How is light touch sensation assessed in the upper limb and which dermatomes are being tested?

A

Using cotton wool and with patients eyes closed:

1) Touch thumb (C6), middle (C7) and little finger (C8) with cotton wool and ask if patient can feel it
2) Touch the medial and lateral aspects of forearm (C6 & T1)
3) Medial and lateral aspects of upper arm (C5 & T1)

24
Q

How is pinprick sensation assessed?

A

1) Ask patient to close their eyes
2) Touch them with neurotip in same areas as with cotton wool

25
Q

How is vibration sense assessed?

A

Use the 128 HZ tuning fork (large one)

  • Start distally and place the vibrating fork over the most distal join of the finger
    • Only move more proximally if it cannot be felt distally
26
Q

How is joint position sense assessed?

A
  • Patient closes their eyes and make small movements of one of their fingers when holding the joint laterally
  • Ask if the movement is up or down
  • Explain to the patient the movements with their eyes open before proceding with eyes closed