The Neck Examination

Inspect the cervical spine for loss of the normal lordotic curve. Palpate for local areas of tenderness and crepitation. Next, ask the patient to put the chin on the chest to check flexion, to put first the right ear on the right shoulder and the left ear on the left shoulder for lateral flexion, and to extend the neck as far as possible by looking back over the ceiling as far as possible. Rotation is then checked by asking the patient to put the chin on the right shoulder and then the left shoulder.

• Structural and functional anatomy
• Cervical spine range of motion
• (Myofascial) trigger points and (fibromyalgia) tender points
• Suspected nerve root irritation
• Suspected cervical myelopathy

Glean the maximum information from observation. Concentrating on one area at a time, inspect the area for discoloration (e.g., ecchymoses, redness), soft tissue swelling, bony enlargement, wasting, and deformity (abnormal angulation, subluxation). While noting these changes, attempt to determine whether they are limited to the joint or whether they involve the surrounding structures (e.g., tendons, muscles, bursae).

A patient’s expression of pain depends on many factors. For this reason the verbalization of pain often does not correlate directly with the magnitude of the pain. The most objective indicator of the magnitude of tenderness produced by presence on palpation is involuntary muscle movements about the eyes. Therefore, the examiner should observe the patient’s eyes while palpating the joints and surrounding structures. 

Note areas of tenderness to pressure, and if possible identify the anatomic structures over which the tenderness is localized.