ortho- spine Flashcards
what does IPROMST stand for?
inspection, palpation, ROM, special tests
___% of US adult pop is disabled due to LBP (low back pain)
1-2%
*and makes up 1/3 of all disability costs
neck/arm pain- degenerative process begins in what decade? what about symptoms?
degenerative process begins in 3rd (30s) decade. Symptoms common in aged 40-60
initial Dx of neck + arm pain: imaging
Xray
initial Dx of neck + arm pain: activity or rest?
Activity modification, not bed rest!! - bed rest is about the WORST thing you can do
what % of neck/arm pain get better with conservative measures? what are these?
75%
analgesiscs, NSAIDs, muscle relaxants (sedating)
steroids- epidural or oral
PT, heat + ice, massage
4 signs further eval needed with neck/arm pain
- Continued severe arm pain for 10+ days without benefit from conservative txt
- Chronic relapsing arm pain
- Significant weakness that does not resolve with therapy
- Signs of cord compression - Myelopathy
how can cervical spine give a similar presentation to rotator cuff injury?
Cervical nerve roots C4-6 innervate the rotator cuff muscles
Sensory distribution runs from base of neck to outer edge of shoulder. Any of these nerves can produce pain in the scapula, shoulder, upper / lower arm, hand
***NEED meticulous PE to determine which is which
most common location of radiculopathy, cause?
Most common location C5, C6, C7: Due to increased motion
what is radiculopathy?
radiculopathy- means youre pushing on the nerve roots
weakness WITH pain
weakness without pain is likely NOT radiculopathy
painless weakness is common or rare?
rare
acute cervical disc protrusions: two types
lateral and central herniations
lateral disc herniation can cause what?
motor, sensory, or reflex changes in a radicular (usually C6 or C7) distribution on affected side
Leads to pain in the neck and radicular pain in the arm, exacerbated by head movement
central disc herniations can cause what?
spinal cord may be involved
significant CNS dysfunction-Spastic paresis, sensory disturbances, impaired sphincter function
Dx of an acute cervical disc protrusion is confirmed what two possible ways?
confirmed by MRI or CT myelogram
what is spurling’s test?
Foraminal compression - test cervical nerve root irritability -Standing behind the patient, head is bent backwards and flexed laterally to the symptomatic side.
This posture may elicit pain or paresthesia in the involved root.
- positive: pain recreated
= Dx cervical radiculopathy (herniated disc)
4 tests for rotator cuff /impingement (provocative tests)
Neer’s
Hawkins’
Jobe’s (empty can)
Drop arm
clinical symptoms of rotator cuff injury (4)
Pain with Abduction
Pain with lowering a fully raised arm
Atrophy of shoulder muscles
Weakness with arm rotation
clinical symptoms of cervical radiculopathy (3)
Reduction in pain with arm Abduction (decreases nerve root tension)
Sensory changes along dermatome
Small percentage will have painless weakness
what imaging would you do for rotator cuff tear vs cervical radiculopathy? (5) which is the best?
Xray (AP + lateral) MRI (BEST) Myelogram (2nd best) CT (last choice) Bone scan: malignancy/infection
most common initial symptoms of spinal cord compression (3)
Usually lower limbs – dragging or shuffling
Clumsiness of hands and fingers
Difficulty intitiating micturition (urinating)
what is the pain and neurodeficit like with spinal cord compression? (kinds weeds)
Central pain - Diffuse, dull, aching, burning
Involving limbs or side of trunk
Flex/Ext cause electric shock pain or tingling
Neurologic deficit
Progressive weakness
Sensory disturbance
Sphincter disturbance
is spinal cord compression dangerous?
a neuro emergency!!!
Dx imaging for spinal cord compression
MRI
while MRI is great at imaging soft tissue structures, eval of shoulder girdle, disc herniation, metastasis, tumor infections… what is it NOT good at imaging
Limited in the evaluation of fusion and hardware placement
what is CT imaging good for? (3) what is it the best tool for?
- evaluating the osseous anatomy in multiple planes
- presence of osseous fusion in post surgical patients
- Evaluation of hardware
* **Best tool for evaluating the osseous anatomy in multiple planes
* fast and available
downfall of CT
ionization radiation exposure
what is myelography ?
Radiologist injects iodinated contrast material into thecal sac
Multiple X-rays taken often with patient standing and in extension and flexion
*CT scan performed after injection
when is myelography used?
when pt can’t have MRI
cervical spondylosis: what is it? (4 parts)
Chronic disk degeneration–> Herniation–> Secondary calcification
1+ nerve roots impinged from herniations or osteophytic outgrowths
*myelopathy may develop
symptoms of cervical spondylosis
Neck pain, decreased ROM
Occipital HA
Radicular pain
Sensory or motor deficits
Most common type of spinal cord dysfunction in patients > 55 years
spondylosis w/ myelopathy
signs of sondylosis w/ myelopathy - in order of when they show up (3)
- gait spasticity
- upper-extremity numbness and loss of fine motor control in the hands
- late sign bladder dysfunction
recommended txt for spondylosis w/ myelopathy
conservative treatment is NOT indicated (unlike most degenerative conditions of the back)
- recommended: surgery relatively early (within 1 year of symptom onset)
symptoms of spondylosis w/ myelopathy
- Pain in the neck, subscapular area, or shoulder
- Anesthesias or paresthesias in the upper extremities
- Sensory changes in the lower extremities
- Motor weakness in the upper or lower extremities
- Gait difficulties
what is needle EMG (electromyelography) useful for? (neck pain) (weeds)
Needle EMG can detect acute, subacute, and chronic radicular features if motor nerve fiber pathology exists.
NCS(nerve conduction study) /EMG : differentiating cervical radiculopathy from confounding neuropathic conditions (eg, ulnar nerve entrapment, carpal tunnel syndrome, peripheral neuropathy, plexopathy).
when are diagnostic injections useful? (neck pain)
If pathology appears to be coming from shoulder, subacromial injections may be helpful
If appears to be coming from cervical spine, selective nerve root injection