Cervical Radiculopathy: Neurologic Features
| Cervical Nerve Roots | Examination Findings | Pain Distribution | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reflex | Sensory | Motor | ||
| C5 | Biceps | Lateral deltoid | Rhomboidsa (elbow extends backward with hand on hip) | Lateral arm, medial scapula |
| Infraspinatusa (arm rotates externally with elbow flexed at the side) | ||||
| Deltoida (arm raised laterally 30-45° from the side) | ||||
| C6 | Biceps | Thumb/index finger | Bicepsa (arm flexed at the elbow in supination) | Lateral forearm, thumb/index fingers |
| Dorsal hand/lateral forearm | Pronator teres (forearm pronated) | |||
| C7 | Triceps | Middle fingers | Tricepsa (forearm extension, flexed at elbow) | Posterior arm, dorsal forearm, dorsal hand |
| Dorsal forearm | Wrist/finger extensorsa | |||
| C8 | Finger flexors | Palmar surface of little finger | Abductor pollicis brevis (abduction of thumb) | Fourth and fifth fingers, medial hand and forearm |
| Medial hand and forearm | First dorsal interosseous (abduction of index finger) | |||
| Abductor digiti minimi (abduction of little finger) | ||||
| T1 | Finger flexors | Axilla and medial arm | Abductor pollicis brevis (abduction of thumb) | Medial arm, axilla |
| First dorsal interosseous (abduction of index finger) | ||||
| Abductor digiti minimi (abduction of little finger) | ||||
aThese muscles receive the majority of innervation from this root.