babinski

Myelopathy Exam

Look

 

Front

- appropriately disrobed / generalised disease / orthotics

 

Side

- sagittal alignment entire spine

 

Back

- wasting / lumbar spine coronal plane alignment / spinal dysraphism

 

Gait

 

Wide based gait

Heel Toe

 

Specific Tests

 

Rhomberg

- arms outstretched in front

- close eyes

Management

Definition

 

Complete Lesion 

- bulbocavernosus reflex present 

- no cord function below lesion

- very poor prognosis for recovery

 

Incomplete Lesion

- bulbocavernosus reflex present

- some cord function below lesion

- good prognosis for recovery

 

Anatomy

 

Vertebral Canal narrowest at T8/9

- Also area of vascular watershed