All of these are reasons to assess the thoracic spine during evaluation of patients who present with cervical spine dysfunction except:
A)The thoracic spine becomes unstable with pain and soft tissue dysfunction in the cervical spine.
B)The thoracic spine is prone to hypomobility.
C)There are common muscle attachments between the cervical and thoracic areas.
D)Joint manipulation performed along with high-velocity thrust of the thoracic spine often improves outcomes in patients with cervical complaints.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

While pain and soft tissue dysfunction in the cervical spine can lead to compensation and altered mechanics in the thoracic spine, it is not true that the thoracic spine becomes unstable. The thoracic spine is generally a stable region of the spine due to the presence of the rib cage. Therefore, assessing the thoracic spine is still important for other reasons such as identifying hypomobility, common muscle attachments, and the potential for joint manipulation to improve outcomes.

All of These Are Reasons to Assess the Thoracic Spine