red flags in orthopedic physcial therapy
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DISORDER CERVICAL
Myelopathy (Cord compression)
Upper cervical instability
Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency (VBI)
Fracture Cancer (CA)
RISK FACTORS & HISTORY
-Trauma -Cervical HNP -Cervical stenosis -Cervical instability
-Trauma -RA -Ankylosing Spondylitis -Congenital fusion -Down’s syndrome -Marfan’s syndrome
-Hyperlipidemia -Hypertension -Smoking -Trauma hx -Diabetes -Cardiac disease -Carotid disease -Atherosclerosis
-Trauma: falling from 3’ or higher or 5 stairs, axial load, high-speed MVA -Age 65 or older -Osteoporosis
-Age >50 -Age < 20-25 -Hx of CA (breast, prostate, lung, colorectal) -Risk factors assoc. with specific cancers
SYMPTOM DESCRIPTION
-Cervical/thoracic pain, HA, dizziness -Sensory disturbances (often bilateral hands/feet) -Non-specific weakness UE/LE -Unsteady gait or falls (worsening gait may indicate increased severity)
-Cervical pain, HA -Dizziness, light-headedness -Sensory disturbance in occipital region, face and lips, or bilateral extremities -Transient cord symptoms
-5 D’s: dizziness, diplopia, dysarthria, dysphagia, drop attacks -Nausea -Cervical pain, HA -Visual disturbance
-Severe pain, tenderness, edema, and ecchymosis -Parasthesias in extremities
-Unexplained weight loss (recent) -Unremitting pain in axial skeleton -Insidious onset pain -Night pain -Fatigue and malaise -No improvement in 4-6 weeks of Rx
PHYSICAL EXAM -Unsteady gait, wide BOS -Cervical ROM loss -UMN signs (below level of lesion): hyper-reflexia, clonus, Babinski, Hoffman’s -LMN signs (at level of lesion): hypo-reflexia, sensory disturbance -Extremity weakness, intrinsic muscle wasting in hands
-Cervical ROM loss or pain -(+) Sharp-Purser test and Transverse lig. Ant. Shear test -(+) Alar ligament test -Feeling of instability following cervical traction -Nystagmus or visual disturbance
-(+) Symptoms with end range cervical rotation, extension, or combined -(+) nystagmus -Unremitting vertigo or dizziness in test position -Episodic vertigo lasting more than 1 minute with other VBI signs
-Cervical ROM loss -Significant tenderness -(+) cord signs possible
-Increased pain with ROM and WBing -(+) neuro signs?
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DISORDER LUMBAR
Cauda Equina syndrome
Fracture Abdominal aortic anyerism (AAA)
Infection CA
RISK FACTORS & HISTORY
-Age>50 to 55 -Trauma -Lumbar HNP, stenosis -Pregnancy
-Trauma, minor trauma in ages>50 -osteoporosis, osteopenia -Risk factors assoc. with bone density loss e.g. corticosteroids, menopause, caucasion/asain
-Age 65 and older -Smoking history -(+) family history of AAA -Atherosclerosis
-Current/recent bacterial infection e.g. UTI -IV drug use Immunosuppressed.e.g. steroids, transplant, HIV
-Age >50 -Age < 20-25 -Hx of CA (breast, prostate, lung, colorectal ) -Risk factors assoc. with specific cancers -primary breast, lung, prostate CA most common metastases to spine
SYMTPOM DESCRIPTION
-Saddle parasthesia, numbness -(+) urinary retention (+) bowel, bladder incontinence -Non-specific LE weakness -Sexual dysfunction -Gait disturbance
-Dull ache to sharp -Common in vertebral bodies, ribs -Sudden onset-related to sneeze, lift, flexion, fall, MVA
-Lumbar and abdominal pain -possible hip, groin, buttock pain -Throbbing, pulsating pain
-Spine pain -Intermittent to constant -Possible night pain -May progress to sharp and incapacitating -Suprapubic region pain with UTI
-Unexplained weight loss (recent) -Unremitting pain in axial skeleton -Insidious onset of pain -Night pain -Fatigue and malaise -No improvement in 4-6 weeks of therapy
PHYSICAL EXAM -(+) LMN signs (LE): sensation, motor, and DTR -(+) neurodynamics - (+) signs with Extension postures - Relief with Flexion? -*Immediate MD visit
-Increased pain with flexion, WBing activity -Increased kyphosis locally -lumbar AROM restricted, pain
-Palpable abdominal pulse with lateral detection -(+) bruit with auscultation -palpable pulse with lumbar palpation
-Pain with WBing activity -(+) fever, sweats, chills -(+) bone percussion
-Increased pain with ROM and WBing -(+) neuro signs?
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DISORDER THORACIC
Digestive system disease
Ankylosing Spondylitis
Compression fracture
Cardiac disease Pulmonary disease
RISK FACTORS & HISTORY
-NSAID use -History of digestive disease -CA risk factors
-Age <40 -Common in males (2 to 3:1 ratio) - (+) Family history - Risk for upper cervical spine instability
-Trauma, minor trauma in ages>50 -Osteoporosis, osteopenia -Risk factors assoc. with bone density loss
-History of cardiovascular disease (62% in outpt. PT) -Hx of metabolic disease, smoking -Age male >45, female >55
-History of cardio-pulmonary disease -Smoking -Lung CA risk factors
SYMTPOM DESCRIPTION
-Abdominal pain -Thoracic and upper lumbar pain -Heartburn, indigestion -Symptom aggravation after eating -Change in appetite -Bowel dysfunction: frequency, color, constipation, diarrhea
-Back pain of at least 3 months duration improved by exercise, not by rest -Buttock and SIJ pain -(+) morning stiffness >30-60 minutes -PM pain in second half of night
-Dull ache to sharp -Common in vertebral bodies, ribs -Sudden onset-related to sneeze, lift, flexion, fall, MVA -Pain with cough/sneeze
-Chest, arm, scapular, face or neck pain -SOB at rest or with mild exertion -Syncope -Palpitations -Light-headedness -Dizziness -Sweating
-Chest, thoracic, and rib pain -SOB -Cough and sputum -Wheezing -Stridor (inspiratory wheeze) -Hemoptysis (blood in sputum or spitting up blood)
PHYSICAL EXAM -Non-mechanical pattern -(+) abdominal exam: tenderness and bowel sounds (normal- clicks and gurgles, 5-34 per minute) (abnormal-Increased or decreased frequency, change in pitch)
-Limited trunk AROM in SB and Flx/Ext -Decreased chest expansion for age and sex -(+) bilateral sacroiliitis (Xray or MRI)*hallmark -Tenderness over SIJ, heels, iliac crest, chest wall
-Increased pain with flexion, WBing activity -Increased kyphosis locally -Trunk AROM restricted, pain -Abnormal neuro signs: weak cough, weak valsalva, dermatome sx’s
-Abnormal vital signs -Peripheral edema -SOB at rest or mild exertion
-Abnormal resting respiratory rate (14-20 per minute) -Abnormal lung sounds with auscultation: crackles, wheeze -Cyanosis -Clubbing of nails
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DISORDER UE/LE
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
Stress Fracture (Femoral head and neck)
Complex regional pain syndrome Type I (CRPS-I)
CA Avascular Necrosis (AVN)
RISK FACTORS & HISTORY
-Recent immobility -Recent surgery or injury to LE -Age>40 -Traveling >4 hours by car, train or plane -Hypercoagulation -Oral contraception -Obesity, hx of DVT
-Trauma -Repetitive overuse (running) -Can lead to displaced fracture if undetected -Bone density loss
-Develops after noxious event (Trauma, surgery) -Type II includes peripheral nerve injury -*Early detection may improve prognosis
-Age >50 -Age < 20-25 -Hx of CA -Risk factors assoc. with specific cancers (Age <30 with osteosarcoma)
-Alcoholism -Coritcosteroid use -Oral contraceptive use -Pregnancy -Obesity -Sick cell disease -Chemotherapy -Trauma -Pancreatitis
SYMTPOM DESCRIPTION
-Constant posterior LE pain -*Pulmonary Embolism (PE) symptoms: SOB, chest pain, high resp. rate
-Deep aching pain in hip and groin radiating into the knee -Worse with activity -Better with rest -Night pain
-Regional pain and altered sensation -Extremity-wide symptoms
-Unexplained weight loss (recent) -Progressively worse pain -Insidious onset pain -Night pain -Fatigue and malaise -No improvement in 4-6 weeks of Rx
-Intermittent to constant pain in joint region -Pain with activity
PHYSICAL EXAM -Distal LE, local edema -Elevated skin temp -Weakened distal pulses in LE -(+) Homan’s sign (pain with DF PROM) -Calf pain with DF AROM -*Immediate MD or ER visit
-Initial radiographs can be normal for 1 to 3 weeks -Antalgic gait with (+) trendelenburg -Painful sit to stand -Painful, restricted FABER, Hip ER, Flexion ROM (non-capsular pattern) -(+) patellar-pubic percussion test
-Evidence of edema, changes in skin blood flow, skin color changes, allodynia, altered sensation and hyperalgesia -Motor weakness -Trophic changes-skin, nail, and hair growth changes -ROM loss
-Increased pain with ROM and WBing -Loss of ROM and joint function -Swelling localized over area of tumor -Palpable mass over bone
-Non-capsular or gross ROM loss -Possible motor weakness