National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) Practice Test

If a patient can turn his head further to the right than to the left, the most likely static listing is axis spinous in which position?

1. Anterior

2. Posterior

3. Contralateral

4. Ipsilateral

The correct answer is: Posterior

When evaluating the range of motion in a patient's cervical spine, particularly in the axis (C2), the direction in which the head turns can indicate the potential static listing of the axis spinous process. If a patient is able to rotate their head further to the right than to the left, it suggests that there is some restriction or limitation on the left side. In this case, if the spinous process of the axis (C2) is positioned posteriorly (i.e., displaced backward), it can create a biomechanical imbalance affecting neck rotation. Specifically, a posteriorly positioned spinous process often leads to increased right rotation due to reduced left rotation, as the posterior positioning can cause increased resistance on the left side. Therefore, when a patient presents with greater rotation to one side, it indicates that the axis is likely positioned in a way that restricts movement on the opposite side, leading to a posterior static listing. Understanding the relationship between static listings and functional range of motion is crucial in chiropractic assessments. Overall, this specific observation about the patient’s head rotation supports the conclusion that the axis spinous is in a posterior position.