NEW APPROACHES IN THE EVALUATION OF THE CERVICAL SPINE FUNCTIONALITY

Abstract

During lifetime, every person complains of cervical pains. Office activity, especially working on the computer can trigger cervicalgia. The purpose of this paper is to offer physiotherapists battery tests which will help them evaluate the functional deficit of the neck. Cervicalgia determines diminishing range of motion, decreasing cervical muscular force and endurance but also proprioception modifications. Most of the video terminals users have vicious postures of the spine. We will evaluate all the aspects showed before with objective methods (articular and muscular testing, cephalic repositioning, anthropometric measurements). Pain and functional impotence will be measured with subjective methods (Visual Analogue Scale and  Neck Disability Index).

After evaluation, the physiotherapists will be able to create the rehabilitation plan and to monitor the parameters during the treatment. Functional diagnosis is within physiotherapist’s reach. The evaluation of the patient plays an important role in reaching the rehabilitation treatment objectives.