EPIDEMIOLOGY
Evidence of spondylotic change is frequently found in many asymptomatic adults, with 25% of adults under the age of 40, 50% of adults over the age of 40, and 85% of adults over the age of 60 showing some evidence of disc degeneration. Another study of asymptomatic adults showed significant degenerative changes at 1 or more levels in 70% of women and 95% of men at age 65 and 60. The most common evidence of degeneration is found at C5-6 followed by C6-7 and C4-5.
CAUSES
Possible causes of the condition include:
Degenerative Disc Disease
Bone Spurs
Herniated discs
Dehydrated Spinal discs
Injury (Acute/Chronic)
Ligament Stiffness
Overuse injury
Risk factors include :
Aging
Work related Activities putting excesse stress on neck
Repetitive Stress
Genetics
Smoking
Being overweight and physically inactive
CLINICAL FEATURES AND PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
Common symptom is pain around neck and shoulder blade. Some complain of radicular pain along the arm and also in the fingers . The pain might increase when:
standing
sitting
sneezing
coughing
tilting your neck backward
Another symptom is muscle weakness. Muscle weakness makes it hard to lift the arms or grasp objects firmly.
a stiff neck that becomes worse
headaches that mostly occurs in the back of the head
Tingling and Numbness that mainly affects the shoulders and arms, although it can also occur in the legs
PHYSICAL EXAMINATION AND DIAGNOSIS
Spurling Sign
Lhermitte Sign
Other test includes
Cervical Distraction Test
Another occasionally useful test is the pectoralis muscle reflex.
This is elicited by tapping the pectoralis tendon in the delto-pectoral groove, which causes adduction and internal rotation of the shoulder if hyperactivity is present. A positive result suggests compression in the upper cervical spine (C2-C4).
Plain radiographs of the cervical spine may show a loss of normal cervical lordosis, suggesting muscle spasm.
PHYSIOTHERAPY MANAGEMENT
Mobilisation or manipulations in combination with exercises are effective for pain reduction and improvement in daily functioning in sub-acute or chronic mechanical neck pain with or without headache.
There is moderate evidence that various exercise regimens, like proprioceptive, strengthening, endurance, or coordination exercises are more effective than usual pharmaceutical care
Treatment should individualised, but generally includes rehabilitation exercises, proprioceptive re-education, manual therapy and postural education
Manual therapy
It is defined as high velocity, low amplitude, thrust manipulation or non thrust manipulation. Manual therapy of the thoracic spine can be used for reduction of pain, improving function, to increase the range of motion and to address the thoracic hypomobility
Thrust manipulation
Thrust Manipulation of the thoracic spine could include techniques in a prone, supine, or sitting position based on therapist preference. Also cervical traction can be used as physical therapy to enlarge the neural foramen and reduce the neck stress.
Non-thrust manipulation
It includes posterior-anterior (PA) glides in the prone position. The cervical spine techniques could include retractions, rotations, lateral glides in the ULTT1 position, and PA glides.
Postural education
It includes the alignment of the spine during sitting and standing activities.
Thermal or Heating therapy
It provides symptomatic relief only.
Soft tissue mobilisation
It was performed on the muscles of the upper quarter with the involved upper extremity positioned in abduction and external rotation to pre-load the neural structures of the upper limb.
Home Exercices
It includes cervical retraction, cervical extension, deep cervical flexor strengthening, scapular strengthening, stretching of the chest muscles via isometric contraction of flexor of extensor muscles to encourage the mobility of the neural structures of the upper extremity
For more info related Stretches and Exercises for Cervical Spondylosis visit
4 replies on “Cervical Spondylosis”
Thanks for the important post & video i am suffering from neck pain, so it is very useful to me. Thanks again.
thank you mam
My friend is having neck pain the same way I suggested this post.
Your Friend will surely get some help from this post.