Spurling's maneuver, in cervical radiculopathy

SM produces Spurling's sign. Method-- rotate head and flex neck towards affected limb then axially compress the head. Production of radicular pain or numbness is called SS, suggests active radiculopathy. Author Wieting et al. modified procedure by extending neck, rotating, then flexing and axially compressing towards affected side in 363 patients. EMG was done immediately after. Modified SM was more sensitive for radiculopathy then traditional SM. Prediction of radiculopathy increased from 17 to 55 % . (Muscle and Nerve 2008).