Characterizing proprioceptive dysfunction as an early sensory indicator of mild Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy

Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is a common spinal disorder characterized by subtle, nonspecific symptoms that may limit awareness among patients and healthcare professionals, contributing to delayed diagnosis and irreversible disability. This study aimed to investigate early somatosensory deficits in mild DCM to support earlier identification.

Chinese individuals aged ≥45 years with DCM were assessed using the modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (mJOA) score and a standardized somatosensory examination assessing superficial pain, temperature, discriminative touch, vibration, and proprioception. The prevalence of somatosensory deficits and their associations with disease severity were analyzed.

A total of 436 participants were stratified into mild, moderate, and severe groups based on mJOA scores. Somatosensory deficits were identified in 275 individuals, with proprioceptive deficits showing the highest prevalence (>90%). Proprioceptive deficits and vibration deficits were significantly associated with disease severity. Proprioceptive deficits showed the strongest correlation with mJOA score (r=-0.51, p<.001) and had good discriminative ability (AUC=0.84).

Somatosensory impairment in DCM appears to progress from isolated proprioceptive deficits to more complex sensory dysfunction as disease severity increases. Proprioceptive deficits are highly prevalent, even in mild DCM, and may serve as a sensitive clinical indicator for early detection. Routine proprioceptive assessment may facilitate timely diagnosis and intervention.