Cervical and Lumbar Spine Assessment Resource
By: Joshua Meaker, BSc, MScPT Candidate ∙ Estimated reading time:4 minutes

Is this resource for me?

This cervical and lumbar spine assessment resource is tailored specifically for physiotherapists looking to improve their ability to assess and manage patients with suspected cervical or lumbar radiculopathy/myelopathy.

Whether you are a clinician with years of experience or a recent physiotherapy graduate, this resource is designed to enhance your knowledge of the spine, improve your diagnostic accuracy, and equip you with the skills needed to effectively manage spinal pathologies. It is particularly useful for those working with patients who have musculoskeletal complaints, neurological impairments, or chronic pain originating in the cervical or lumbar spine.

If you work in a clinical setting where your patients present with neck or lower back pain, radiculopathy, disc herniation, or other conditions involving spinal nerves, this resource can serve as an essential tool to improve your practice, and can assist you in providing the best treatment possible by keeping you updated on physiotherapy best practices. Additionally, this resource can be valuable for physiotherapists working in sports medicine, rehabilitation centers, and outpatient clinics, where a thorough understanding of spinal mechanics and nerve root function is critical to patient outcomes.

This is a comprehensive resource on cervical and lumbar spine assessments, focusing on myotomal strength testing, dermatome sensory examination, and deep tendon reflexes for both the upper and lower extremities. The resource covers everything from the clinical significance of myotome testing for nerve root involvement to practical skills for performing upper and lower extremity assessments. It provides physiotherapists with step-by-step instructions on how to assess the functionality of the cervical and lumbar spine, with increased attention to the nerve roots, reflexes, and muscle groups associated with each spinal level.

The resource contains several key components:

• Myotomal Strength Testing – Learn how to assess the strength of key muscle groups innervated by different nerve roots (C5-T1 for the cervical spine and L2-S1 for the lumbar spine), helping you identify the exact level of nerve involvement and differentiating between muscular and neurological causes of weakness.

• Dermatome Sensory Testing – Learn how to assess the sensory distribution of different dermatomes along the cervical and lumbar spine, helping you identify areas where nerve root compression may be causing sensory deficits such as numbness, tingling, or altered sensation.

• Deep Tendon Reflex Testing – Learn how to assess deep tendon reflexes of the upper and lower extremities, helping you identify potential upper or lower motor neuron lesions.

• Functional Tests for Nerve Root Involvement – Learn how to perform specific tests that assess functional deficits, such as heel walking, toe walking, and rapid finger opening tests, helping inform you when diagnosing nerve root impingements, disc herniations, or spinal cord myelopathy.

• Cervical Range of Motion (ROM) and Special Tests – Learn how to assess range of motion of the cervical spine and conduct special tests of the cervical and lumbar spine, helping you identify possible radiculopathy or myelopathy in the cervical or lumbar spine.

By using this resource, physiotherapists will be able to confidently perform assessments, interpret results, and use these findings to guide treatment plans and patient education.

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assessment resource!

Benefits of this resource 

This cervical and lumbar spine assessment resource is a vital tool for physiotherapists because of the complexity of spinal issues and the widespread nature of neck, back, and radiating pain. Many patients presenting with musculoskeletal pain have underlying neurological involvement, such as nerve root impingement or disc herniation, which can cause debilitating symptoms like radiating pain, numbness, or muscle weakness. Accurately identifying the source of these symptoms is critical for effective treatment.

Here are some of the benefits this resource can provide for physiotherapists and their patients:

• Improved Diagnostic Accuracy – The ability to accurately diagnose the specific level of spinal nerve root involvement is key to effective treatment. Through myotome, dermatome, and reflex assessments, physiotherapists can gather important information about the spinal level that is compromised, allowing for more targeted interventions.

• Better Patient Outcomes – With an in-depth understanding of cervical and lumbar assessments, physiotherapists can offer tailored treatment plans that address the root cause of the patient's symptoms. By identifying neurological impairments, such as reduced muscle strength or altered sensation, clinicians can intervene early, preventing the progression of conditions like radiculopathy or myelopathy.

• Enhanced Clinical Confidence – Spinal pathologies can be complex and require a high level of clinical expertise. This resource can build your confidence in performing specialized tests and interpreting results. You'll not only be able to detect cervical or lumbar spine dysfunctions, but you'll also gain the knowledge necessary to explain your findings to patients, empowering them to understand their condition and actively participate in their rehabilitation.

• Holistic Approach to Spine Health – By covering both cervical and lumbar spine assessments, this resource provides a comprehensive understanding of how different parts of the spine function and how dysfunctions can manifest throughout the body. You’ll learn how to integrate myotome, dermatome, and reflex testing into your overall assessment process, ensuring you don’t miss any key findings that could lead to a more accurate diagnosis.

• Relevance Across Patient Populations – The skills taught in this resource are applicable to a wide range of patient populations, from athletes with sports-related injuries to older adults dealing with degenerative spinal conditions. Whether you are treating acute neck pain following a car accident or chronic lower back pain due to spinal stenosis, the knowledge gained from this resource will allow you to confidently assess and manage your patients.

• Early Detection of Serious Conditions – Some spinal pathologies, such as cervical myelopathy, can have serious implications if left undiagnosed. The resource includes assessments for upper motor neuron signs, such as Hoffman's sign and the Brachioradialis inverted reflex, which can help you detect more serious conditions that may require urgent referral to a specialist.

Get my free cervical & lumbar spine 
assessment resource!

This resource is based on the online healthcare course on Embodia Academy with Darryl Yardley and Dr. Aleksa Cenic, Cervical and Lumbar Spine Assessment.

You can find more courses on spinal assessment on Embodia here. 

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Date published: 6 January 2025
Last update: 6 January 2025