Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Practice Guideline
. 2020 Jul;50(7):350-372.
doi: 10.2519/jospt.2020.9971. Epub 2020 May 21.

International Framework for Red Flags for Potential Serious Spinal Pathologies

Practice Guideline

International Framework for Red Flags for Potential Serious Spinal Pathologies

Laura M Finucane et al. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2020 Jul.

Abstract

The International Federation of Orthopaedic Manipulative Physical Therapists (IFOMPT) led the development of a framework to help clinicians assess and manage people who may have serious spinal pathology. While rare, serious spinal pathology can have devastating and life-changing or life-limiting consequences, and must be identified early and managed appropriately. Red flags (signs and symptoms that might raise suspicion of serious spinal pathology) have historically been used by clinicians to identify serious spinal pathology. Currently, there is an absence of high-quality evidence for the diagnostic accuracy of most red flags. This framework is intended to provide a clinical-reasoning pathway to clarify the role of red flags. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2020;50(7):350-372. Epub 21 May 2020. doi:10.2519/jospt.2020.9971.

Keywords: cauda equina syndrome; clinical reasoning; malignancy; spinal fracture; spinal infection.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

Cited by

Publication types