Pott's disease physical examination

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Hardik Patel, M.D.; Aravind Kuchkuntla, M.B.B.S[2]

Physical examination findings in spinal tuberculosis include local tenderness on the spine, stiffness and spasm of the muscles, cold abscess demonstrates absence of signs of inflammation, limited range of motion, palpable gibbus, spine deformity, kyphosis. Neurologic findings include muscle weakness, quadriplegia, paraplegia, hypotonia, loss of deep tendon reflexes, numbness and paresthesias.

The following physical examination findings can be elicited in a patient with spinal tuberculosis:^[1][2][3]

• Cachexia
• Pallor

• Tachypnea
• Tachycardia
• Fever

• Decreased breath sounds
• Rales
• Rhonchi
• Bronchial breath sounds

• Local tenderness
• Stiffness and spasm of the muscles
• Cold abscess demonstrates absence of signs of inflammation
• Limited range of motion
• Palpable gibbus^[4]
• Spine deformity^[5]
• Kyphosis^[6]

Findings suggestive of spinal cord compression include:

• Muscle weakness
• Quadriplegia
• Paraplegia
• Hypotonia
• Loss of deep tendon reflexes
• Numbness
• Paraesthesia

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