EVELYN HONE COLLEGE OF APPLIED ART AND COMMERCE

HEALTH SCIENCES DEPARTMENT

PHYSIOTERAPY SECTION

STUDENT NAMES; STUDENT NUMBERS

ALBERT MWENYA JR 22000771
STAIN MUNADIMBWE 22002200
TRINITY ZULU 22001445
CECILIA SIPOPA 22001030
PRECIOUIS MANDA 22001639
COURSE ; PHYSICAL EXAMINATION
LECTURER ; MR ZIMBA
TERM ; ONE [1]
ASSIGNMENT ; TWO [2]
YEAR ; DF22
CLASS ; REGULAR A
GROUP ; THREE [3]
QUESTION ; OUTLINE THE DERMATOMES AND MAYOTOMES FOR BOTH

CERVICAL AND LUMBER SACRAL PLEXUS.

The aim of this assignment is to outline the dermatomes and myotomes for both cervical and
lumber sacral plexus. Dermatomes and myotomes both arise from somites, which are divisions
of the body of an embryo. Somites are paired structures which run cephalocaudally (along the
head to toe axis of the body).

A dermatome is an area of skin supplied by sensory neurons that arise from a spinal nerve
ganglion. Symptoms that follow a dermatome (e.g. like pain or a rash) may indicate a pathology
that involves the related nerve root. Examples include somatic dysfunction of the spine or viral
infection while a myotome is defined as a group of muscles which is innervated by single spinal
nerve root (William J, 2001).

The body is divided from top to bottom into motor zones described as myotomes. The muscle
movement of each myotomes is controlled by motor nerves coming from the same motor portion
of a spinal nerve root. This differs from a dermatome, which is a zone on the skin in which
sensations of touch, pain, temperature, and position are modulated by the same sensory portion
of a spinal nerve root (David. J, 2006).

Myotomes and dermatomes are mapped, and the locations of sensory or motor deficits
correspond to specific nerve roots. Based on your history and physical examination, your
healthcare provider or physical therapist can determine the specific nerve root(s) or spinal cord
level(s) that could be causing your problem. Myotomes and dermatomes are part of the
peripheral nervous system, and myotomes are part of the somatic (voluntary) nervous system,
which is part of your peripheral nervous system. The peripheral and central nervous systems
communicate with one another (Gomez, C; et al, 2008).

Nerve
Root Dermatomes

Cervical

C2 Temple, forehead, occiput (William J, 2001)

C3 Entire neck, posterior cheek, temporal area, prolongation forward under

mandible
Nerve
Root Dermatomes

Cervical

C4 Shoulder area, clavicular area, upper scapular area

C5 Deltoid area, anterior aspect of entire arm to base of thumb

C6 Anterior arm, radial side of hand to thumb and index finger

C7 Lateral arm and forearm to index, long, and ring fingers

C8 Medial arm and forearm to long, ring, and little fingers

Thoracic

T1 Medial side of forearm to base of little finger(Pourquié, O. (2008).

T2 Medial side of upper arm to medial elbow, pectoral and midscapular areas

T3-T12 T3–T6, upper thorax;

T5–T7, costal margin;
T8–T12, abdomen and lumbar region (Tabin CJ , 2003).

Lumbar

L1 Back, over trochanter and groin (David. J, 2006).

L2 Back, front of thigh to knee

L3 Back, upper buttock, anterior thigh and knee, medial lower leg

L4 Medial buttock, latera thigh, medial leg, dorsum of foot, big toe

L5 Buttock, posterior and lateral thigh, lateral aspect of leg, dorsum of foot,
medial half of sole, first, second, and third toes

Sacral

S1 Buttock, thigh, and leg posterior

S2 Same as S1 (Gomez, C, 2008).

S3 Groin, medial thigh to knee

S4 Perineum, genitals, lower sacrum (Warren F. Jr, 1987)

conclusion the spinal column has 31 spinal nerves, which are composed of 8 cervical, 12
thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral, and; 1 coccygeal spinal nerves. There are specific dermatomes for
each of these spinal nerves, except the first cervical spinal nerve. Dermatomes and myotomes
both arise from somites, which are divisions of the body of an embryo. Somites are paired
structures which run cephalocaudally (along the head to toe axis of the body).
REFERENCES

I. Larsen, William J. (2001). Human embryology (3. Ed.)

II. Magee, David. J (2006). "1". Orthopaedic Physical Assessment (4th Ed.).
III. Gomez, C; et al. (2008). "Control of segment number in vertebrate embryos". Nature.
IV. Walker, Warren F. Jr. (1987) Functional Anatomy of the Vertebrate San Francisco:
Saunders College Publishing.
V. Goldbeter, A.; Pourquié, O. (2008). "Modeling the segmentation clock as a network of
coupled oscillations in the Notch, Wnt and FGF signaling pathways".
VI. Larsen, William J. (2001). Human embryology (3. Ed.).
VII. Brent AE, Schweitzer R, Tabin CJ (2003). "A somitic compartment of tendon
progenitors".