In slump test interpretation, which finding supports neural mechanosensitivity rather than isolated muscle tightness?

In slump test interpretation, which finding supports neural mechanosensitivity rather than isolated muscle tightness?

• A. Symptom relief with neck extension
• B. No change in symptoms with cervical movement
• C. Symptom reproduction only with neck rotation
• D. Reproduction of neural symptoms that decrease with cervical extension

Answer: (D)

Neural tissues respond to loading patterns in a distinctive way: when the slump maneuver increases neural tension, symptoms can be reproduced, and then easing that tension by placing the neck in extension (which unloads the neural tract) helps drop the symptoms. This pattern—neural symptoms that are triggered by the slump and diminished by cervical extension—points to neural mechanosensitivity rather than just tightness in a muscle. Isolated muscle tightness wouldn’t show this specific, tension-dependent change: symptoms would either not reproduce with slump, or wouldn’t specifically lessen with cervical extension.

Neural tissues respond to loading patterns in a distinctive way: when the slump maneuver increases neural tension, symptoms can be reproduced, and then easing that tension by placing the neck in extension (which unloads the neural tract) helps drop the symptoms. This pattern—neural symptoms that are triggered by the slump and diminished by cervical extension—points to neural mechanosensitivity rather than just tightness in a muscle. Isolated muscle tightness wouldn’t show this specific, tension-dependent change: symptoms would either not reproduce with slump, or wouldn’t specifically lessen with cervical extension.