Red flag screening
Osteomyelitis risk factors
Cancer risk factors
**If no factors present sn=100%
Meningitis sx
Risk Factors:
S/S
*If fever, neck stiffness, altered mental status ALL negative -can rule out Sn 99-100%
Pancoast’s Tumor - what is it?
* commonly misdiagnosed as cervical discogenic pain, TOS or shoulder issue
Pancoast’s tumor - s/s/risk factors
Cervical myelopathy s/s
LR increases w/ increasing positive tests
Hoffman’s test
How to perform: Grasp the patient’s middle phalanx of 3rd digit at distal end with your 2nd and 3rd distal phalanges. Flick the patient’s distal phalanx into flexion using your thumb.
Positive test: Adduction of thumb and/or flexion of fingers
Inverted supinator sign
How to perform: Using reflex hammer, strike the brachioradialis tendon near radial styloid process at distal end of radius (C6 DTR).
Positive test: Finger flexion
Upper cervical instability s/s
Upper cervical instability risk factors
Upper cervical instability clinical tests
CAD risk factors
Canadian c-spine rules
Canadian c-spine rules - high risk factors mandating radiography
1. Age >/= 65 yo OR 2. Dangerous mechanism (fall from elevation <3ft or 5 stairs, axial load to head, MVC high speed (>100km/hr), rollover, ejection, motorized recreational vehicles, bicycle struck or collision) OR 3. Paresthesias in extremities
Canadian c-spine rules - low risk factors that allow safe assessment of ROM
1. simple rear end MVC (pushed into oncoming traffic, hit by bus/large truck, rollover, hit by high speed vehicle) OR 2. sitting position in E.D. OR 3. Ambulatory at any time OR 4. Delayed onset of neck pain OR 5. Absence of midline c-spine tenderness
Canadian c-spine - neck mobility
Must be able to actively rotate 45* (L) and (R) for NO radiograph
Canadian c-spine rules DO NOT APPLY IF…
Cervical manipulation and mobilization
Clinicians should consider using thrust and non-thrust to reduce neck pain and headache.
*combining these with exercise is MORE effective than using alone (STRONG EVIDENCE)
6 predictors for immediate improvement (of pain, satisfaction, or perception of condition) following c-spine thrust (Tseng et al)
Presence of 4 or more increase probability from 60 to 89%
HVLAT vs. Laser for cervicogenic headaches (Nilsson et al)
HVLAT reduced analgesic use by 36%, unchanged in other groups
Spinal mob and manip for chronic neck pain and headaches (Vernon et al.)
Moderate to high quality evidence suggests clinically important improvements from spinal mob/manip at 6, 12, 104 weeks post treatment
Cochrane review of cervical manip and mob
manip and mob produced similar effects - low quality evidence to support cervical manip over mob
CPR - thoracic spine manipulation for neck pain
(+) LR 3 or more present = 5.5