Clinical examination of the spine/back covering the following sections:
INSPECTION
PALPATION
MOVEMENTS
MEASUREMENTS
SPECIAL TESTS
(Neurological examination covered separately in another slideshow : SPINE EXAMINATION - PART 2)
6. GAIT
-only if no contra-indications to ambulation-
GAIT CHARACTERISTICS EXAMPLE
Painful spine Cautious gait avoiding
painful jerks
Different parts of spine
held stiff
Potts Spine
Ankylosed spine Spine, SI, Hip moves as
a one segment
Ankylosing Spondylitis
(advanced stage)
10. ATTITUDE
Avoid slightest of movement
at cervical spine
Holding the head with one/both
Hands at cheek/chin
Children
Cervical/
Upper dorsal
painful inflammatory
lesion
11. ATTITUDE
Helps in bypassing the weight-bearing
Stand by placing the hands on the knees
Dorso-Lumbar spine
painful inflammatory
lesion
12. ATTITUDE
Tries to take the
nerve root
away from the
offending disc
Prolapsed
Intervertebral Disc
Trunk deviated to one side
13. LIST IN PIVD
Involved nerve root
Offending disc
Disc prolapse LATERAL to nerve root Disc prolapse MEDIAL to nerve root
Trunk deviates AWAY from side of
prolapse
Trunk deviatesTOWARDS side of
prolapse
“SHOULDERTYPE” “AXILLARYTYPE”
15. INSPECTION (BACK)
1. Position of head
2. Hairline
3. Short neck
4. Level of scapula
5. Curvature of spine
6. Lateral margins of trunk
7. Central furrow (Prominent/Obliterated)
8. Skin:
Scars/Sinuses/Swelling/Spots
Vessels/Vesicles/Visible Pulsations
16. INSPECTION (BACK)
1. Position of head Uncompensated
scoliotic deformity-
deviated
2. Hairline KFS
3. Short neck KFS
Cervical Potts
4. Level of scapula Scoliosis
Sprengel’s shoulder
5. Curvature of spine List
Scoliosis
6. Lateral margins of trunk Scoliosis
7. Central furrow
(Prominent/Obliterated)
Prominent-Paraspinal
muscle spasm
Obliterated-kyphotic
deformity/muscle
wasting
8. Skin:
Scars/Sinuses/Swelling/Spots
Vessels/Vesicles/Visible Pulsations
Tuft of hair in L-S area:
underlying spinal cord
pathology (Spina
bifida)
24. How to palpate spine?
Palpation of spinous process- all along
the spine- with finger tips
A quick screening method
Reference point to count vertebra: -
First spinous process palpable:
C7 (vertebral prominens)
HOLDSWATH METHOD
27. DIRECT
Pressure on spinous process
directly
Posterior element disease
Advanced Anterior element
disease
ROTATORY
Attempted rotation of the spinous
process (pressing at base of
suspected spinous process)
Anterior element disease
Posterior element disease
THRUST
Lightly thrusting the spine with
fist
Anterior element disease
28. PARASPINAL MUSCLE SPASM
What does it indicate?
Painful lesion of the spine at that level
Three Methods
29. METHOD PROCEDURE
1. Paraspinal muscles - Tapping Tapping over the
paraspinal muscles
directly
2. Spinous process-
Press
Muscle spasm
manifest as
visible & painful
contraction of PSM
adjacent to diseased
vertebra
3. Kibler test Attempted
movement of piched
KIBLERTEST
PARASPINAL MUSCLE SPASM (METHODS)
30. DEFORMITY
Mark the sufficient no.of normal vertebrae adjacent to diseased
vertebra
Mark the spinal landmarks
Palpate the step : Spondylolisthesis/ Acute fracture-dislocation
31. VERTEBRAL LEVELS
C7 –Vertebra prominens (first prominent spinous process of cervical spine)
D3 – Spine of Scapula
D7 – Inferior angle of Scapula
L4 – Highest point of iliac crest
S2 – PSIS
40. CHEST-EXPANSION TEST
Chest Expansion is contributed by:
COSTOTRANSVERSE JOINTS
COSTOVERTEBRAL JOINTS
STERNOCOSTAL JOINTS
Procedure:
1. Full exhalation Inhales maximally
2. Measuring tape @ level of 4th ICS
Results:
Normal= 6cm
<2.5 CM = Highly s/o ANK. SPONDYLITIS
COSTOTRANSVERSE JOINT
COSTOVERTEBRAL JOINT
41. FINGER-FLOOR DISTANCE
Ask the patient – maximally flex the DL Spine
Measure the distance between fingertips and floor
Normal: within 7 cm of the floor
44. SPECIAL TESTS
Cervical cord compression
Axial compressionTest
Spurling’sTest
Lhermitt’sTest
PIVD
Lasegue’s test (SLRT)
BragardsTest
Bowstring Test
Crossed SLRT
SlumpTest
Femoral nerve stretch test
SI-Joint test
Patrick’s four part sign
Genslen’sTest
Gillie’sTest
Pelvic DistractionTest
Moving ahead in the series of discussing checklist of examinations, today we will go through and discuss checklist of spine examination.
Observing the gait and attitude of the patient – is the first step in inspecting the patient with suspected spine disease
Gait may provide imp clue but one should remember to examine the gait only if there is no….
Patient with painful inflammatory lesions ..walks with cautious..
Certain patients may stand with an attitude…
In some other patients they tens to stand with their hip, knees…..
Lumbar lordosis is lost to achieve uniform dorso-lumbar flexion…
List: deviation of spine to one side--PIVD
KLI-PPEL FEIL SYNDROME
Dilated vessels
Lordosis: spinal curvature- convex anteriorly
These should not be performed when nerve root compression
with a motor deficit is suspected or detected.
To perform
the axial compression test, the examiner stands
behind the patient who is seated with the cervical spine
in a neutral position.
The examiner then places both hands at the crown of the patient's head and compresses,
thus supplying an axial load. The
application of the force should be gentle and gradual
because it may elicit a very painful response. The
patient is asked to report whether the maneuver produces
pain or other unpleasant sensations, as well as the quality and distribution of the symptoms created.
SPURLING TEST
Spurling’s maneuver: extension and rotation of cervical spine
produce radicular pain, it is pseudoradicular if the pain
radiates to occiput or scapula or limbs but not below elbow
Bowstring sign of McNab: perform SLRT stop at the hip
flexion where pain is produced flex knee to 90° press the sciatic nerve in popliteal fossa strengthens the
impression of sciatica.
Crossed SLRT (well leg SLRT, Frajersztajn test): extremely
sensitive for L4-5 and L5-S1 disc.
Genslens Test
Involved hip is extended by allowing it to overhang from the edge of the couch
Normal hip and knee flexed
Gillie’stest
Prone---Press down on the uninvolved side
--------involved side –with knee 90o --- extended by lifting off