Introduction

The neck is a highly mobile structure, with an arc of 140° lateral rotation, 80° of lateral flexion, and 100° of flexion/extension in the sagittal plane. Subsequently the neck is susceptible to significant injury when subject to traumatic forces.

Different movements take place at cervical spine levels

  • Nodding movements occurs at the cranio-cervical joint
  • Lateral flexion occurs at the 3rd to 7th cervical vertebrae.
  • The principal fulcrum of flexion in the adult cervical spine occurs at C5/6.

Rotational movements occur throughout the lower cervical vertebrae, but principally at the atlanto-axial joint.

Fig. 1 via Shutterstock