Question

A physical therapist is treating a patient with a spinal cord injury in the inpatient rehab unit at the hospital. On assessment, the therapist found the following muscles of respiration to be intact: cervical extensors, upper trapezius, levator scapulae with loss of innervation to the pectoralis major, serratus anterior and latissimus dorsi. Which of the following is the MOST LIKELY neurologic level of this spinal cord injury?

a. T1-T5
b. C3-C4
c. C5-C8
d. C1-C2

Answer 1

The MOST LIKELY neurologic level of this spinal cord injury is C5-C8.

Step-by-step explanation:

The MOST LIKELY neurologic level of this spinal cord injury is C5-C8.

The muscles of respiration that are intact in this patient include the cervical extensors, upper trapezius, and levator scapulae. This indicates that the injury is above the level of the innervation loss in the pectoralis major, serratus anterior, and latissimus dorsi.