Cervical Spine Orthopedics II Practice Exam

Which statement describes reflexive SJD?

It is defined by insidious onset It is caused by acute infection It involves sustained nociceptive irritation triggering reflexive muscle guarding, and altered mechanics It is identical to mechanical SJD

Correct Answer:

It involves sustained nociceptive irritation triggering reflexive muscle guarding, and altered mechanics

Explanation:

Reflexive SJD is driven by sustained nociceptive input that provokes a protective reflex contraction of the surrounding muscles, leading to guarding. That muscle guarding tightens the segment and alters its mechanics, so motion becomes limited and the joint appears dysfunctional even though there may not be a primary structural pathology. The key idea is that the dysfunction arises from a reflex protective response to pain, not from an intrinsic degenerative or infectious process. Because of this, it differs from a purely mechanical SJD, which implies a fixed structural problem in the joint. In short, ongoing nociception triggers reflex muscle guarding, which then changes the mechanics of the spine at that level.

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