National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) Practice Test

Static palpation of a patient with which condition characteristically reveals a step defect?

1. Degenerative disc disease

2. Facet joint syndrome

3. Herniated disc

4. Spondylolisthesis

The correct answer is: Spondylolisthesis

Static palpation revealing a step defect is closely associated with spondylolisthesis. This condition involves the forward displacement of a vertebra over another, which can lead to distinct changes in the alignment of the spinal segments. When palpated, a practitioner can often feel a step-like deformity that indicates the misalignment caused by the slip of the vertebra. In cases of spondylolisthesis, the vertebral bodies can be positioned at different levels due to the displacement, which creates an observable step defect in the contour of the spine during static evaluation. This finding is instrumental in confirming the presence of spondylolisthesis and differentiating it from other spinal conditions that do not typically present with such a palpable defect. For other conditions such as degenerative disc disease, facet joint syndrome, and herniated discs, while there may be tenderness and other palpable findings, they do not characteristically result in a step defect as seen in spondylolisthesis.