To study the prevalence of hand signs in cervical spondylotic myelopathy: A prospective cohort analysis.

Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) causes progressive spondylosis of the cervical spine, resulting in poor dexterity and hand strength.Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM), also known as myelopathy hand, is characterized by gait dysfunction, loss of hand dexterity, and motor/sensory dysfunction corresponding to cervical cord compression in an MRI. There exists an enormous variation in the signs and symptoms of cervical myelopathy, hence diagnosis can be challenging. Hoffmann’s sign, the finger escape sign, Grip release test, hand Grip are all considered as myelopathic sign. Modern spinal assessments in outpatient clinics rely heavily on subjective tests of motor and sensory impairment, clinical disability scales, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).  Little is known about how isolated clinical deficits, such as strength, proprioception, and hyperreflexia, contribute to overall clinical disability. Having a better understanding of the causes of clinical disability in CSM patients can help clinicians make informed decisions about treatment timing and follow-up, particularly for patients with mild myelopathy.

The primary aim of this study is to assess prevalence of hand signs in a patient diagnosed with cervical spondylotic myelopathy.