Cervical radiculopathy: the diagnosis and treatment of pathomechanics in the cervical spine

Lateral flexion anteroposterior roentgenograms of the cervical spine were obtained of patients suffering from cervical radiculopathy. Specific attention was given to the normal mechanical attitudes of the cervical motion segments at their end range. Deviations from the normal coupling mechanism in the cervical spine were directly related to the level of clinical radiculopathy. Aberrancies in the coupling mechanism of the cervical motion segments were reduced by manipulation, and post manipulative reduction examination revealed improvements in sensation, motor power, and deep tendon reflexes, as well as subjective patient improvement. Normal mechanical attitudes could be restored by manipulative reduction of the cervical motion segments.