Assesses for muscle strain or ligamentous sprain in the cervical region.

  • O’donoghue Test

  • Neck pain

Patient Position
  • Seated
Examiner Position
  • Standing behind or in front of patient
Steps of Performance
  1. Examiner stabilizes patient’s head with both hands
  2. Passively flex, extend, laterally flex, and rotate patient’s head in all directions
  3. Ask the patient to move their head against the examiner’s resistance as they repeat each movement the examiner just passively performed
Alternative Methods

The O’donoghue Maneuver utilizes passive range of motion (ROM) to localize stress to articular surfaces and ligaments. Due to the lack of active muscular involvement, any pain with passive movements suggests a non-contractile tissue source of pain. When the patient actively resists cervical motion, isometric muscle contractions result in minimal joint movement leading to the distribution of stress primarily through the paravertebral muscles. Because of this, pain through resisted range of motion suggests a muscular source of pain.

General

Positives

Resisted ROM pain

  • Strain

End-range or passive ROM pain

  • Sprain
    • Ligamentous or joint

Pertinent Negatives

DATA
TAGS
References
Lefebvre R, Novak C. Cervical Orthopedic Tests. University of Western States. Published 2021. Accessed April 27, 2022.
Schafer, R. C. (1986). Chapter 21: Neck and Cervical Spine Injuries. In Chiropractic management of sports and recreational injuries. Williams & Wilkins.
Vizniak NA. Head and Neck. In: Quick Reference Evidence Informed Orthopedic Conditions. Canada: Professional Health Systems Inc.; 2018:18. Accessed April 27, 2022.

Assesses for muscle strain or ligamentous sprain in the cervical region.

  • Neck pain

Patient Position
  • Seated
Examiner Position
  • Standing behind or in front of patient
Steps of Performance
  1. Examiner stabilizes patient’s head with both hands
  2. Passively flex, extend, laterally flex, and rotate patient’s head in all directions
  3. Ask the patient to move their head against the examiner’s resistance as they repeat each movement the examiner just passively performed
Alternative Methods

The O’donoghue Maneuver utilizes passive range of motion (ROM) to localize stress to articular surfaces and ligaments. Due to the lack of active muscular involvement, any pain with passive movements suggests a non-contractile tissue source of pain. When the patient actively resists cervical motion, isometric muscle contractions result in minimal joint movement leading to the distribution of stress primarily through the paravertebral muscles. Because of this, pain through resisted range of motion suggests a muscular source of pain.

General

Positives

Resisted ROM pain

  • Strain

End-range or passive ROM pain

  • Sprain
    • Ligamentous or joint

Pertinent Negatives