Table 1 Characterization of tests

Rotation

“Move your head to the right and back to middle position, to the left and back to the middle. Then move your head once through the whole range without stopping in the middle position”.

Nose stays horizontal

Evasive head movement in protraction, extension/lateral flexion or flexion

Sitting

Frontal

No lateral flexion

Non-rhythmic movement: staccato

Continuous movements

Lateral flexion

“Decline your head to the right and back to the middle, then to the left and back to the middle. Then move once from left to the right without stopping in the middle”.

Nose stays in the middle

Rotation

Sitting

Frontal

No rotation

Shoulder elevation

No shoulder elevation

Non-rhythmic movement: staccato

Continuous movements

Chin heading

Extension CTJ

“Draw in your chin like a little nod movement and then try to look to the ceiling”.

No chin heading

Head protraction

Sitting

Lateral 90°

Slight global extension in CTJ

Chin heading

No massive distinctive extension in one segment

Shoulder elevation/protraction

Nod movement on the wall

“Lean against the wall and do a small nod movement (say yes) but leave the head on the wall”.

Head moves up on the wall

Head protraction

Standing

Lateral 90°

Draw in chin

Head moves away from the wall

Flattening of the lordosis

Shoulder elevation/protraction

Inability to draw in chin

Upper cervical spine

“Tilt your head to the side and rotate it then to the ceiling.”

Visible lateral flexion and rotation

Head protraction

Sitting

Frontal

No abolishment of lateral flexion

Shoulder elevation

Further going movement in the cervical spine

Flexion/Extension full range

“Bring your chin to the breastbone and move your head in extension (whole movement)”.

Visible expansion of mid cervical spine while flexion

Ventral head translation while flexion

Sitting

Lateral 90°

Rotation axis in the ear

Deficient upper cervical spine flexion

Round movements without protraction

Upper body forward - backward

“Lean forward with straight upper body. Lean your upper body back, stay sitting straight and come back”.

Minimal chin heading

Cervical or thoracic spine flexion or extension

Sitting

Lateral 90°

No evasive movement in the thoracic spine

Shoulder elevation/protraction

No movement in the cervical spine

Bilateral shoulder elevation

“Lift both shoulders to the ears”.

Minimal chin heading

Cervical spine protraction

Sitting

Lateral 90° and Frontal

Symmetric shoulder elevation

Any kind of evasive movements

Unilateral arm flexion right and left

“Lift your straight arm up”.

Minimal chin heading

Cervical or thoracic spine flexion or extension

Sitting

Lateral 90° from the opposite side

No evasive movement in the thoracic spine

Shoulder elevation/protraction

No movement in the cervical spine

Evasive movement in head rotation

Arm flexion 90° with weight

“Lift up the weight with straight arms to 90° breast height and bring the weight with straight arms back”.

Shoulders stays down

Head protraction

Sitting

Lateral 90°

Head stays still

Chin heading

Straight line of vision

Extension of cervical spine

Shoulder elevation

Forward bending in Standing

“Bend forward and straighten up again”.

Slight extension

Head protraction

Standing

Lateral 90°

Minimal shoulder protraction

Extension of cervical spine

Look towards the ground

Neck flexion in supine position

“Draw in your chin and lift your head off the floor”.

Round movements

Head protraction

Supine

Lateral 90°

No tremor

Chin heading

No loss of upper cervical flexion

Tremor

Inability to lift the head

Inability to draw in chin

Pro/retraction

“Move your chin forward and backward”.

Horizontal nose-ear line

Shoulder elevation/protraction

Sitting

Lateral 90°

No cervical spine extension while retraction

Flexion of thoracic spine

Forward-backward movement of upper body