Chronic Pain

Cervical Myelopathy exercise guide

Spinal cord compression in the neck causing balance problems, hand clumsiness, difficulty with fine motor tasks, and walking changes. This is a serious condition requiring medical evaluation.

Prescriptions

Cautions

Medical clearance recommended

Use clinician guidance before starting or progressing this module, especially after injury, surgery, or symptom flare.

Safety notes

RED FLAG CONDITION: Requires urgent medical evaluation before any neck exercise program. Do NOT proceed with neck loading exercises without specialist clearance. Watch for: dropping things, difficulty with buttons, unsteady walking, bowel/bladder changes.

Contraindications

Use Caution

Putty Tip Pinch: Putty pinch loads the arthritic thumb CMC joint

Modify: Keep very light, stop if thumb base pain

Use Caution

Clothespin Pinches: Clothespin pinches stress the thumb CMC joint

Modify: Use easier clothespins or skip if painful

Avoid Completely

Movement caution: Plate pinch places high stress on arthritic thumb joint

Use Caution

Thumb-Index Pinch Isometric: Thumb pinch isometrics may aggravate CMC arthritis

Modify: Keep very gentle

Avoid Completely

heavy_pinch: Heavy pinching stresses the arthritic thumb CMC joint

Modify: Use whole-hand grip instead of pinch when possible

Avoid Completely

neck_loading: Cervical myelopathy involves spinal cord compression requiring specialist evaluation before any neck exercise program.

Modify: Do not proceed with neck exercises without specialist clearance. This is a red flag condition.

Prescribed exercise pathways

Phase and safety-level mappings make condition guidance actionable for home programs, clinician plans, and future personalization.

Prescriptions are being reviewed

This condition module is live; exercise prescriptions will appear as reviewed mappings are published.