Thoracic Spine Lab Flashcards
Thoracic serious pathology
- Pulmonary Embolus
- Myocardial Infarction
- Pneumonia
- Pleurisy
- Thoracic Spine Compression Fracture
- Rib Fracture(s)
- Visceral Referral
- Shingles(herpes zoster)
Osteoporosis risk factors
- Female
- Age ≥65
- Caucasian & asian
- Family Hx
- Prior Fx after age 50
- Diet for vitamin D
- Physical activity
- Tobacco use
- Medications: glucocorticoids, anti-seizure drugs, & thyroid hormone
- Low body weight
What deformity is characteristic of a compression fracture
- Wedge deformity
Which ribs are true, false, and floating
- True: 1-7
- Flase: 8-10
- Floating: 11-12
What are the different chest types
- Barrel
- Funnel
- Pigeon
Describe the dynamics of respiration
- Ribs move as a “bucket handle”
- Sternum moves as a “pump handle”
- Inhale: diaphragm contracts & lowers while ribs expand
Describe self assessment for diaphragmatic breathing
- Begin by slow & deep breathing
- Add pursed lip breathing: smell the roses & blow out the candles
- Place both hands on lower ribs & feel for expansion AP & laterally
- Place one hand on bellybutton & other on sternum
- Try to breath with only expanding the diaphragm (lower hand moves > upper hand)
How can you increase motor control while diaphragmatic breathing
- Add deep neck flexor isometric
- Cue different regions of the ribs & diaphragm if needed
Describe a barrel chest
- More rounded than a normal chest
- Chest cavity has a 1:1 ratio for AP diameter to transverse diameter
- Associated with COPD
Symptoms of a blue bloater/chronic bronchitis
- Chronic productive cough
- Purulent sputum
- Hemoptysis
- Mild dyspnea initially
- Cyanosis
- Peripheral edema
- Crackles/wheezes
- Prolonged expiration
- Obese
Symptoms of a pink puffer/emphysema
- Dyspnea
- Minimal cough
- Increased minute ventilation
- Pink skin, pursed-lip breathing
- Accessory muscle use
- Cachexia
- Hyperinflation, barrel chest
- Decreased breath sounds
- Tachycardia
Describe a funnel chest
- AKA pectus excavatum
- A dip in the sternum creating a “funnel”
Describe a pigeon chest
- AKA pectus carinatum
- Protrudes outward from the sternum creating a “peak”
Describe the lumbar locked position
- Patient in on their knees and puts one forearm on the ground infant of them and rotate as far as they can to the opposite side
- Potentially identifies any thoracic dysfunction
- Compare symmetry
What are your landmarks for a thoracic PA spring test
- Spine of scapula at T3
- Inferior angle scapula at T7
Describe how to perform a mid-thoracic sitting manipulation
- Distraction gliding manip
- Position towel roll on the PT’s chest
- Ask patient to criss-cross arms with elbows stacked & lean back onto the therapist
- PT takes up the slack to achieve pre-thrust tension
- Thrust is a chest bump with combined j-stroke lifting in & up to direct the force over the towel roll
Describe a C-T junction sitting manipulation
- Ask patient to place their hands behind their neck
- Place towel roll just below the C-junction
- PT links hands in behind & adducts elbows in around the patient’s ribs (laterally)
- Ask patient to lean back & relax
- Several reps of mini manias trying to feel pre-thrust tension
- Deliver the thrust upwards with the hands & elbows while using a chest bump
- Avoid pressing the neck forwards
Describe how to perform a supine mid-thoracic manipulation
- Ask patient to cross both arms over a thole roll & roll toward you
- Position your hand on the T-spine region & take up the skin slack, may need to begin above the area
- Have the patient roll back onto your hand keeping the skin lock
- Use your body to apply a pre-thrust force through the patient’s elbows
- Fine tune by flexing the pt’s head/neck to max load the hand on the spine
- Use a body drop to deliver the thrust directed just above your hand on the spine
Describe how to perform a prone thoracic manipulation
- Ask the patient to lay prone
- Assess spine with PA mobility test
- Operator place hands on the transverse processes, contact point is the bilateral pisiforms
- Take up the slack: twist and slide in opposite directions
- Mini manips to fid the pre-thrust crispness
- Deliver a HVLA (high velocity low amplitude) thrust with equal pressure bilaterally