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They allow for flexion and extension and limit lateral flexion in the cervical spine. Pathological processes that can occur in these joints include degenerative changes or hypertrophic arthritis, resulting in foraminal stenosis and nerve compression. Foraminal stenosis at this joint is the most common cause of cervical nerve root pressure.
Joint stability is easily evaluated by the use of flexion and extension lateral x-ray views of the spine. A summary of part of the DRE tables (6) give a guide as to the implications of the joint instability. If either translation or angular change is determined from flexion to extension to the degree shown in the table below, then Category IV ...
However, the cervical spine is comparatively mobile, and some component of this movement is due to flexion and extension of the vertebral column itself. This movement between the atlas and occipital bone is often referred to as the "yes joint", owing to its nature of being able to move the head in an up-and-down fashion.
There is a hook-shaped uncinate process on the side edges of the top surface of the bodies of the third to the seventh cervical vertebrae and of the first thoracic vertebra. Together with the vertebral disc, this uncinate process prevents a vertebra from sliding backward off the vertebra below it and limits lateral flexion (side-bending).
The spinal nerves arise from the spinal column. The top section of the spine is the cervical section, which contains nerves that innervate muscles of the head, neck and thoracic cavity, as well as transmit sensory information to the CNS. The cervical spine section contains seven vertebrae, C-1 through C-7, and eight nerve pairs, C-1 through C-8.
When the shoulder is fixed, levator scapulae rotates to the same side and flexes the cervical spine laterally. When both shoulders are fixed, a simultaneous co-contraction of both levator scapulae muscles in equal amounts would not produce lateral flexion or rotation, and may produce straight flexion or extension of the cervical spine.
Principle I: When the spine is in neutral, sidebending to one side will be accompanied by horizontal rotation to the opposite side. [2] This law is observed in type I somatic dysfunction, where more than one vertebra is out of alignment and cannot be returned to neutral by flexion or extension of the vertebrae. The involved group of vertebrae ...
Physical therapy primarily includes spinal flexion and extension exercises with a focus on core stabilization and muscle strengthening. In particular, lumbar spondylolisthesis may benefit from core stabilization exercises focusing on lower abdominal, lumbar muscles, hamstrings, and hip flexors, which may temporarily or permanently improve ...