Back and Neck Disorders Flashcards
(135 cards)
historical red flags for neck&back exams
- Age < 20 or >50
- Duration > 1 month
- Pain unresponsive to therapy
- Unexplained wt loss, fever
- Nocturnal pain or pain at rest
- Neuro sx - Saddle anesthesia, bowel/bladder incontinence/urine retention
- Long-term steroid therapy
- H/o cancer
- H/o IVDU, addiction or immunosupp
- Active infection elsewhere or (+) HIV
Delayed pain/stiffness
consider what ddx?
Mechanical disorder (muscle strain)
Low back pain radiating down buttock, below the knee
consider what ddx?
Nerve root compression
Back pain at night, unrelieved by rest/supine
consider what ddx?
Malignancy, cauda equina tumor, compression fx
Pain worse with rest, improved with activity
consider what ddx?
Ankylosing spondylitis
Pain worse with activity, improved with rest
consider what ddx?
Degenerative diseases
Writhing pain that is unrelenting
consider what ddx?
Ureteral calculi or dissecting AAA
Pain and fever with hx of IV drug use, immunocompromised, retained hardware or recent back surgery
consider what dxx?
Osteomyelitis, epidural abscess, discitis
Significant or rapidly evolving neuro deficits
consider what ddX?
Cauda equina syndrome, epidural abscess, massive disk herniation
Pain with neurogenic claudication (intermittent leg pain)
consider what ddx?
Lumbar spinal stenosis
ROM for neck and back exam?
- Flexion: Pain → nerve root irritation from disc herniation
- Extension: spinal stenosis or spondylolisthesis
- Lateral bending: contralateral side → muscle spasm; ipsilateral → facet joint irritation, nerve root impingement, disk herniation
- Rotation: muscle spasm, facet joint irritation
nerve roots of UE?
C5-C8
Nerve roots of LE?
L4, L5, S1
- Shoulder abduction, elbow flexion
- Bicep
- Lateral ½ upper arm
which nerve root?
C5
- Elbow flexion, wrist extension
- Brachioradialis
- Lateral ½ lower arm
which nerve root?
C6
C7 nerve root controls what motor, reflex, and sensory?
- Elbow extension, wrist flexion, finger extension
- Tricep
- Middle finger🖕
C8 controls what motor, reflex, and sensory?
- Finger abduction, adduction and flexion
- None
- Medial aspect of lower arm
- Foot dorsiflexion
- Patellar
- Medial foot
which nerve root?
L4
L5 controls what motor, reflex, and sensory?
- Big toe extension
- None
- Midline ventral foot
- Foot eversion
- Achilles
- Lateral aspect of foot
which nerve root?
S1
- Anal sphincter tone
- Bulbocavernosus
- Perianal area
which nerve root?
S2-S4
what is the straight leg raise?
indications?
- Passively flex hip w/ knee extended while supine
- (+) = worsening radicular pain on affected side (not just low back or hamstring pain)
- lumbar nerve root compression/irritation (herniated disc)
- if seated → pt will lean back when hip flexed with knee extended = (+) test
what is the crossed straight leg raise?
indication?
- Also the contralateral SLR
- Performed as in SLR testing, however unaffected leg is passively elevated
- (+) = radicular pain in affected leg when unaffected leg is elevated
- lumbar nerve root compression/irritation (herniated disc)
what is the trendelenburg test?
indication?
- assesses hip abductor (gluteus medius) strength
- stand on one leg; observe level of the pelvis
- (+) = pelvis drops below neutral on opposite side of stance limb side
- inadequate gluteus medius strength of stance limb