Spine examination clinical reasoning

Question 1

what would point tenderness over a vertebra indicate?

Answer 1

seriosu pathology- fracture, malignancy, infection

Question 2

What would tedness of the sacroilliac joint be suggestive of

Answer 2

inflammation

common in those affected by ankylosing spondylitis

Question 3

If fingers did not move apart during lkumabr flexion what would thsi indicate

Answer 3

spine fused- ankyloing spondyltiis

Question 4

what would shooting pain down the leg and into foot indicate in straight lkeg test?

Answer 4

nerve root impegement - sciatica

Question 5

how would spinal cord compression affect reflexes?

Answer 5

brisk reflexes as the UMN are affected

Question 6

how would cauda equina syndrome affect reflexes

Answer 6

absent or reduces- LMN affected

Question 7

Why do we test dorsiflexion power of the great toe?

Answer 7

L5 nerve root impingement

L5/S1 most likely disc to hernairte

Question 8

why do we check for the pulses in spine exam?

Answer 8

checking for peripheral vascual disease (vascular pathology rather than spine pathology- claudication pain , cramping in legs comes on after predicatabel amount of exercise- relieved by rest

spinal stenosis also presents with claudciation pain (neurogenic claudication)

check pulses to determine which it is