Lateral bending of the neck

The paravertebral and facet joints of the vertebral bodies and the supporting muscles allow the neck to bend an average of 45 degrees laterally. The patient is asked to relax. The examiner places one hand on the shoulder and one hand on the side of the head. The neck is passively rotated to the affected side and compared to the opposite side. Loss of lateral bending typically accompanies loss of rotation and is a reflection of the degree of cervical arthritis, secondary muscle spasm, or both.