T-spine APTA Flashcards
What did Linton et al find for general prevalence of spinal pain? What percentage was thoracic pain?
- 66%
- 15% thoracic
Where the inferior angle of the scapula (IAS) is typically thought to be in line with which vertebra? What is it most often in line with? What is the range?
- Conventionally thought of as T7.
- most often T8, but can range between T4-T11
What is the “vertebral prominens”?
- thought of as C7, but can be T1
What is the rule of 3s as it applies to the T-spine?
- T1-3: spinous px at the same level as the transverse pxs
- T4-6: spinous px a half level below the transverse pxs
- T7-9: spinous px a full level below the transverse pxs
- T10-12: spinous px at the same level
- in cadaver study, from T7-12, the spinous px is in general at the vertebral level of the next caudal level
What is the rib angle?
- prominent area where the posterior rib angles laterally and anteriorly
- cited in literature as markers of dysfunction, but have not been validated as such
What muscles attach at the rib angles?
- iliocostalis
What is the orientation of the superior facet joints of the T-spine?
- planar joints
- angled 60* from the horizontal plane
- 20* from the frontal plane
What are the ratios of vertebral disk height to vertebral disk body in the C-, T-, and L-spines?
- C-spine: 2:5
- T-spine: 1:5
- L-spine: 1:3
What are the two categories that ribs can be classified as? What do they mean?
- true or false: whether or not they attach directly to the sternum
- typical or atypical: 2 facets for each attachment on the vertebral body (typical) vs one facet (atypical)
Which are the true/false and typical/atypical ribs?
- true ribs: T1-7
- false ribs: T8-12 (costochondral or lack of attachment (T11-12))
- typical: T2-9
- atypical: T1, T10-12
Which ribs attach to the transverse processes (and thus have a costotransverse joint)?
- T1-10
- T11-12 don’t
From T1-T5 (or T6), the rib side of the joint is _____ and the transverse px side is _____. Lower, the costotransverse joints are ______.
- rib side is concave, and transverse px is convex
- in the lower T-spine the joint is planar
Because of the difference in rib joint shapes, what are the differences in movement?
- in the upper T-spine, more likely to be able to have rotation/torsional movement
- in the lower T-spine, there is more planar movement
- with inspiration, allows flexion (sagittal plane) in the upper T-spine, and abduction (frontal plane) in the lower T-spine
What are the medial attachment points for the trapezius?
What are it’s actions on the scapula?
- all T-spine spinous processes, C7 spinous px, ligamentum nuchae, external occipital protuberance
- part of the force couple that upwardly rotates and posteriorly tips the scapula during elevation
What are the attachments for the iliocostalis thoracis muscles? Iliocostalis lumborum?
- from angle of the ribs 7-12 then spanning up to 1-6, as well as the transverse px of C7
- posterior sacrum and thoracolumbar fascia to the angles of ribs 6-12
What changes of what muscles are thought to be associated with rib cage dysfunction?
- tissue texture and tenderness of the iliocostalis muscles
Erector spinae weakness and decreased muscle density is associated with what poor outcomes?
- thoracic hyperkyphosis
- osteoporosis
- decreased quality of life
- increased risk of falls
What are the attachments of the serratus anterior?
- From the outer surface/superior border of ribs 8-10 and the fascia of the external intercostal muscles
- to the anterior border of the vertebral side of the scapula
What are the proximal attachments of the pec major?
- sternum
- clavicle
- ribs 1-6
What are the actions of the pec major?
- adduction and IR
- clavicular portion can assist coracobrachialis and anterior delt with flexion
- in closed chain, will pull ribs anterior, superior, and lateral
What are the attachments of the pec minor?
- anterior/superior surfaces of ribs 3-5
- to medial/superior coracoid px of the scapula
- when shorted or with hypertonicity, will lead to anterior tipping of hte scapula
Which scalenes are attached to the first rib? To the second?
What is the general potential action on the ribs of the scalenes?
- First rib: anterior and middle
- Second rib: posterior
- with the C-spine fixed, can elevate the first or second ribs
What are the 3 portions of the diaphragm and what are their attachments?
- sternal: back of the xiphoid px
- costal: internal surfaces of the costal cartilages and adjacent parts of the lower 6 ribs
- lumbar: first 2-3 lumbar vertebrae
Each T-spine nerve exits _________ (above/below) it’s corresponding disk.
- below
A person had a thoracic disk injury and is feeling some paresthesias just above the level of T6. What nerve root is affected?
- T5
- dermatomes are just inferior to corresponding vertebral level
What is the basic organization of the thoracic nerves?
- has anterior and posterior rami
- posterior rami are divided into medial and lateral branches.
- medial branch supports the spinal extensors and cutaneous sensation in the upper 6 segments
- lateral branch supports spinal extensors and cutaneous sensation in the lower 6 segments
- anterior rami wrap around in the intercostal spaces
- each nerve contributes preganglionic sympathetic fibers to the sympathetic chain
Where is the thoracic sympathetic chain located?
- just anterior to the rib head and lateral to the costovertebral joint