My colleagues and I have compiled article for the thoracic spine that we recommend reading prior to the OCS exam.  Study hard!

Geelhoed MA, McGaugh J, Brewer PA, Murphy D. A new model to facilitate palpation of the level of the transverse processes of the thoracic spine. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2006 Nov;36(11):876-81. PubMed PMID: 17154141.

DeFranca GG, Levine LJ. The T4 syndrome. Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics. 1995 Jan;18(1):34-7.

Boissonnault WG, Bass C. Pathological origins of trunk and neck pain: part I – pelvic and abdominal visceral disorders. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 1990;12(5):1-207. PubMed PMID: 18796872.

Jordan CL, Rhon DI. Differential diagnosis and management of ankylosing spondylitis masked as adhesive capsulitis: a resident’s case problem. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2012 Oct;42(10):842-52. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2012.4050. Epub 2012 Jul 26. PubMed PMID: 22836244. 

Sran MM, Khan KM. Is spinal mobilization safe in severe secondary osteoporosis? – a case report. Man Ther. 2006 Nov;11(4):344-51. Epub 2006 Jan 4. PubMed PMID: 16387523.

Cleland JA, Mintken PE, Carpenter K, Fritz JM, Glynn P, Whitman J, Childs JD. Examination of a clinical prediction rule to identify patients with neck pain likely to benefit from thoracic spine thrust manipulation and a general cervical range of motion exercise: multi-center randomized clinical trial. Phys Ther. 2010 Sep;90(9):1239-50. doi: 10.2522/ptj.20100123. Epub 2010 Jul 15. PubMed PMID: 20634268.

González-Iglesias J, Fernández-de-las-Peñas C, Cleland JA, Gutiérrez-Vega Mdel R. Thoracic spine manipulation for the management of patients with neck pain: a randomized clinical trial. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2009 Jan;39(1):20-7. PubMed PMID: 19209478.

Fernández-de-Las-Peñas C, Layton M, Dommerholt J. Dry needling for the management of thoracic spine pain. J Man Manip Ther. 2015 Jul;23(3):147-53. PubMed PMID: 26309385; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4534850.

Jordan CL, Rhon DI. Differential diagnosis and management of ankylosing spondylitis masked as adhesive capsulitis: a resident’s case problem. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2012 Oct;42(10):842-52. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2012.4050. Epub 2012 Jul 26. PubMed PMID: 22836244.

Lara FJP, Berges AF, Quesada JQ, Ramiro JAM, Toledo RB, Muñoz HO. Thoracic Disk Herniation, a not Infrequent Cause of Chronic Abdominal Pain. International Surgery. 2012;97(1):27-33. doi:10.9738/CC98.1.

Bialosky JE, Bishop MD, Price DD, Robinson ME, George SZ. The mechanisms of manual therapy in the treatment of musculoskeletal pain: a comprehensive model. Man Ther. 2009 Oct;14(5):531-8. doi: 10.1016/j.math.2008.09.001. Epub 2008 Nov 21. PubMed PMID: 19027342; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2775050.

Hegedus EJ, Goode A, Butler RJ, Slaven E. The neurophysiological effects of a single session of spinal joint mobilization: does the effect last? J Man Manip Ther. 2011 Aug;19(3):143-51. doi: 10.1179/2042618611Y.0000000003. PubMed PMID: 22851877; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3143008.

Stowell T, Cioffredi W, Greiner A, Cleland J. Abdominal differential diagnosis in a patient referred to a physical therapy clinic for low back pain. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2005 Nov;35(11):755-64. PubMed PMID: 16355918.

Tomé-Bermejo F, Tsirikos AI. [Current concepts on Scheuermann kyphosis: clinical presentation, diagnosis and controversies around treatment]. Rev Esp Cir Ortop Traumatol. 2012 Nov-Dec;56(6):491-505. doi: 10.1016/j.recot.2012.07.002. Epub 2012 Sep 1. Review. Spanish. PubMed PMID: 23594948.

Brismée JM, Phelps V, Sizer P. Differential diagnosis and treatment of chronic neck and upper trapezius pain and upper extremity paresthesia: a case study involving the management of an elevated first rib and uncovertebral joint dysfunction. Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy. 2005 Apr 1;13(2):79-90. 

Mintken PE, McDevitt AW, Cleland JA, Boyles RE, Beardslee AR, Burns SA, Haberl MD, Hinrichs LA, Michener LA. Cervicothoracic Manual Therapy Plus Exercise Therapy Versus Exercise Therapy Alone in the Management of Individuals With Shoulder Pain: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2016 Aug;46(8):617-28. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2016.6319. PubMed PMID: 27477473.

Primholdt N, Primdahl J, Hendricks O. A Difficult Diagnosis: A Qualitative Study of the Daily Lives of Young Men Diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis. Musculoskeletal Care. 2016 Aug 21. doi: 10.1002/msc.1155. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 27546073.

Paksoy Y, SEker M, Kalkan E. Klippel-Feil syndrome associated with persistent trigeminal artery. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2004 May 1;29(9):E193-6. PubMed PMID: 15105686.

 Summers BN, Singh JP, Manns RA. The radiological reporting of lumbar Scheuermann’s disease: an unnecessary source of confusion amongst clinicians and patients. Br J Radiol. 2008 May;81(965):383-5. doi: 10.1259/bjr/69495299. PubMed PMID:

Erratum: ATS Statement: Guidelines for the Six-Minute Walk Test. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2016 May 15;193(10):1185. doi: 10.1164/rccm.19310erratum. PubMed PMID: 27174486.

Hegedus EJ, Cooper L, Cook C. Diagnosis of a rare source of upper extremity symptoms in a healthy woman after weight lifting. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2006 Nov;36(11):882-6. PubMed PMID: 17154142.

Childs JD, Cleland JA, Elliott JM, Teyhen DS, Wainner RS, Whitman JM, Sopky BJ, Godges JJ, Flynn TW; American Physical Therapy Association. Neck pain: Clinical practice guidelines linked to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health from the Orthopedic Section of the American Physical Therapy Association. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2008 Sep;38(9):A1-A34. Epub 2008 Sep 1. Erratum in: J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2009 Apr;39(4):297. PubMed PMID: 18758050.

Gutrecht JA. Lhermitte’s sign. From observation to eponym. Arch Neurol. 1989 May;46(5):557-8. PubMed PMID: 2653292.

 Paine RM, Voight M. The role of the scapula. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 1993 Jul;18(1):386-91. Review. PubMed PMID: 8348140.

Stokes M, Hides J, Elliott J, Kiesel K, Hodges P. Rehabilitative ultrasound imaging of the posterior paraspinal muscles. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2007 Oct;37(10):581-95. Review. PubMed PMID: 17970405. 

Tubbs RS, Loukas M, Shahid K, Judge T, Pinyard J, Shoja MM, Slappey JB, McEvoy WC, Oakes WJ. Anatomy and quantitation of the subscapular nerves. Clin Anat. 2007 Aug;20(6):656-9. PubMed PMID: 17352414.

Dlouhy BJ, Dahdaleh NS, Howard MA 3rd. Radiographic and intraoperative imaging of a hemisection of the spinal cord resulting in a pure Brown-Séquard syndrome: case report and review of the literature. J Neurosurg Sci. 2013 Mar;57(1):81-6. Review. PubMed PMID: 23584224.

Graeber GM, Nazim M. The anatomy of the ribs and the sternum and their relationship to chest wall structure and function. Thorac Surg Clin. 2007 Nov;17(4):473-89, vi. doi: 10.1016/j.thorsurg.2006.12.010. Review. PubMed PMID: 18271162.

Kerr MG, Scott DB, Samuel E. Studies of the Inferior Vena Cava in Late Pregnancy. Br Med J. 1964 Feb 29;1(5382):522.4-533. PubMed PMID: 20790097. 

Leigh-Smith S, Harris T. Tension pneumothorax–time for a re-think? Emerg Med J. 2005 Jan;22(1):8-16. Review. PubMed PMID: 15611534; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC1726546. 

Söyüncü S, Bektaş F, Cete Y. Traditional Kehr’s sign: Left shoulder pain related to splenic abscess. Ulus Travma Acil Cerrahi Derg. 2012 Jan;18(1):87-8. doi: 10.5505/tjtes.2011.04874. PubMed PMID: 22290058.

 Keith A. The Nature of the Mammalian Diaphragm and Pleural Cavities. Journal of Anatomy and Physiology. 1905;39(Pt 3):243-284.

Magarey ME, Jones MA. Dynamic evaluation and early management of altered motor control around the shoulder complex. Man Ther. 2003 Nov;8(4):195-206. Review. PubMed PMID: 14559042

Arab AM, Salavati M, Ebrahimi I, Ebrahim Mousavi M. Sensitivity, specificity and predictive value of the clinical trunk muscle endurance tests in low back pain. Clin Rehabil. 2007 Jul;21(7):640-7. PubMed PMID: 17702706.

Lampert R. Evaluation and management of arrhythmia in the athletic patient. Prog Cardiovasc Dis. 2012 Mar-Apr;54(5):423-31. doi: 10.1016/j.pcad.2012.01.002. Review. PubMed PMID: 22386293.

Nason LK, Walker CM, McNeeley MF, Burivong W, Fligner CL, Godwin JD. Imaging of the diaphragm: anatomy and function. Radiographics. 2012 Mar-Apr;32(2):E51-70. doi: 10.1148/rg.322115127. Review. PubMed PMID: 22411950.

Struyf F, Nijs J, Mottram S, Roussel NA, Cools AM, Meeusen R. Clinical assessment of the scapula: a review of the literature. Br J Sports Med. 2014 Jun;48(11):883-90. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2012-091059. Epub 2012 Jul 21. Review. PubMed PMID: 22821720. 

Downs MB, Laporte C. Conflicting dermatome maps: educational and clinical implications. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2011 Jun;41(6):427-34. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2011.3506. Epub 2011 May 31. PubMed PMID: 21628826.

Paris S. Past Present and Future of Joint Manipulation. Univ St Augustine. 2011:1-28.Link to Article: http://www.aaompt.org/education/conference11/handouts/distinguished_lecture_paris.pdf

Baker CL Jr, Liu SH. Neurovascular injuries to the shoulder. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 1993 Jul;18(1):360-4. Review. PubMed PMID: 8348137.

 Masharawi Y, Rothschild B, Dar G, Peleg S, Robinson D, Been E, Hershkovitz I. Facet orientation in the thoracolumbar spine: three-dimensional anatomic and biomechanical analysis. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2004 Aug 15;29(16):1755-63. PubMed PMID: 15303019.

Graeber GM, Nazim M. The anatomy of the ribs and the sternum and their relationship to chest wall structure and function. Thorac Surg Clin. 2007 Nov;17(4):473-89, vi. doi: 10.1016/j.thorsurg.2006.12.010. Review. PubMed PMID: 18271162.

DeFranca GG, Levine LJ. The T4 syndrome. Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics. 1995 Jan;18(1):34-7.

Shen JH, et al. Comparison of the Wells score with the revised Geneva score for assessing suspected pulmonary embolism: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of thrombosis and thrombolysis. 2015;41(3):482-492. doi:10.1007/s11239-015-1250-2.