Orthopedic Tests Flashcards
Rust’s Sign
Patient spontaneously grasps the head with both hands when lying down or when rising from a recumbent position
+ Rust’s sign
Indicates:
- Severe sprain
- RA
- Fracture
- Severe cervical subluxation
When Rust’s sign is present, this indicates a severe ___________ instability
Upper cervical
Libman’s Sign
Examiner applies thumb pressure to the mastoid process and gradually increases the pressure until the patient states that it is becoming noticeably uncomfortable
+ Libman’s Sign
Patient is exhibiting an unusually low or high threshold for pain
Bakody Sign
Patient will be in a seated position and will place the hand of the affected extremity on top of their head, raising the elbow to the level of the ear
+ Bakody Sign
Patient has nerve root irritation (position tractions the brachial plexus which reduces irritation) that is diminished by this posture/sign
+ Reverse Bakody Sign. What does this indicate?
Pain is exacerbated
-Thoracic Outlet Syndrome from interscalene pressure
Negative Bakody Sign. What does this indicate?
No change in pain
-DDX nerve root encroachment from a thoracic outlet syndrome
Bikele’s Sign
Patient is asked to abduct their shoulder to 90 degrees and then the elbow is put into full extension
+ Bikele’s Sign
The patients pain will be radicular and extend into the arm (from tractioning of the brachial plexus)
Brachial Plexus Tension Test
Patient is asked to abduct both shoulder to 0- degree and place the hands behind the head. Doctor then pulls the elbows back
+ Brachial Plexus Tension Test
Pain radiates into the patients arm
Any functional disturbance and/or pathological change in the spinal cord; often used to denote nonspecific lesions
Myelopathy
Cervical orthopedic tests for dural irritation
- Brachial plexus tension
- Lhermitte sign
- Shoulder depression test
- Kernig-Brudzinski
- Soto-Hall
Characteristic fever, headache, stiff neck (nuchal rigidity), febrile sign
Meningitis
Febrile sign
During passive flexion on the neck, the knees will automatically bend
Cervical orthopedic tests for meningitis
- Kernig-Brudzinski
- Bikele
- Brachial plexus tension
- Soto-Hall
Best methods for identifying myelopathy
- Hoffman’s
- DTR in the UE
- Inverted supinator reflex
- Suprapatellar quadriceps reflex
- Hand withdrawl reflex
- Babinski sign
- Clonus of the ankle
Lhermitte’s Test
With the patient seated, the doctor instructs the him/her to drop their chin to their chest. The doctor then passively flexes the patient head
+Lhermitte’s Test
Patient experiences shock like sensations radiating down the neck and spine
+Lhermitte’s sign indicates what 2 possible pathologies?
- Posterior Column Disease
- MS
If a patient has MS, where on their body are they most likely to test + for Lhermittes?
Back of the neck, lower back, and other parts of the body.
What is thought to cause MS patients to test + for Lhermitte’s sign?
Hypersensitivity of demyelinated cervical sensory axons to stretching
T/F Lhermitte’s sign is said to have been present at some point of the course of MS in 80% of patients
FALSE.
40%
What signs/symptoms during a physical exam will rule out meningitis if present?
- Absence of fever
- No neck stiffness
- No altered mental status
Among patients with fever and a headache, ___________________ if headache is a useful adjunctive manuever
Jolt accentuation
Kernig-Brudzinski Sign
- With the patient laying supine, the doctor passively flexes the cervical spine (Brudzinski)
- With the patient lying supine, they are asked to flex their hip to 90 degrees with knee extension (Kernig)
+ Kernig-Brudzinski
Febrille sign
-opposite knee and hip flexion occurs and/or patient reports pain in the neck
Soto-Hall Test
Patient lies supine. Doctor places knife edge of hand on the sternum to brace thoracic region. Passive flexion of the cervical spine occurs
What is Soto-Hall used to evaluate?
Check for cervical sprain, fracture, facet, of SOL problems
Valsalva’s maneuver
Doctor stands in front of the patient and instructs the patient to take in a deep breath and bear down
+ Valsalva’s maneuver
Patient will experience pain at the location of the SOL
What physiologically causes a + Valsalva’s maneuver?
Increases abdominal and thoracic pressure which blocks blood flow in the intervertebral veins from the epidural space and causes a retrograde flow of blood. This causes distension of the epidural space which forces the dura toward the spinal cord which stretches the dura and pulls the nerve root tractioning it and causing pain
Dejerine’s Triad/Sign
Patient will report that coughing, sneezing, straining causes aggravation of symptoms
Sudden unexpected adscence of Dejerine sign with all other nerve root findings still present would point to what?
Fragmentation of the disc
Swallowing Test
Patient is giving a glass of water and instructed to drink
+ Swallowing Test
Presence of pain/difficulty swallowing
What could a + Swallowing test indicate?
- SOL
- Sprain/strain
- Fracture
- Disc problem
- Tumor
- Osteophyte
- Esophageal irritation from trauma or retroesophageal SOL
Cervical orthopedic tests for IVE encroachment
- Distraction Test
- Foraminal Compression Test
- Jackson’s Compression Test
- Maximum Cervical Compression Test
- Spurling’s Test
Naffzinger’s Test
Doctor stands behind the patient and occludes the external jugular vein at the clavicle for 10-15 seconds. Doctor then acts the patient to cough
+ Naffzinger’s Test
Back of venous flow accentuates intra-thecal pressure much like mechanism of Vasalvas. Creates a localized pain area for the lesion
Distraction Test
Doctor exerts upward pressure on the patient’s head
+ Distraction Test
- Increased pain = Muscle spasm
- Decreased pain = confirms IVF encroachment
Foraminal Compression Test
Doctor exerts downward pressure on the head in a neutral position and rotated position bilaterally
+ Foraminal Compression Test
Rotation and compression cause closure of the IVF
- Local pain = foraminal encroachment
- Radicular pain = pressure on the nerve root
Jackson Compression Test
Patient rotates and laterally flexes the head. Downward pressure is placed on the spine on the spine in the neutral and lateral flexion positions
+ Jackson Compression Test
Used to confirm IVF encroachment and nerve root involvement
- Pain ipsilateral flexion = facet or nerve root involvement
- Pain contralateral flexion = muscle strain