The Modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (mJOA) Score for Cervical Myelopathy

Features

Upper extremities (motor)

Unable to move hands (0 points)
Unable to eat with a spoon but able to move hands (1 point)
Unable to button shirt but able to eat with a spoon (2 points)
Able to button shirt with great difficulty (3 points)
Able to button shirt with slight difficulty (4 points)

Upper extremities (sensory)

Complete loss of hand sensation (0 points)
Severe sensory loss or pain (1 point)
Mild sensory loss (2 points)
No sensory loss (3 points)

Lower extremities (sensory and motor)

Complete loss of motor and sensory function (0 points)
Sensory preservation without ability to move legs (1 point)
Able to move legs but unable to walk (2 points)
Able to walk on a flat floor with a walking aid (cane or crutch) (3 points)
Able to walk up and/or down stairs with aid of a handrail (4 points)
Moderate to significant lack of stability but able to walk up and/or down stairs without a handrail (5 points)
Mild lack of stability but able to walk unaided with smooth reciprocation (6 points)
No dysfunction (7 points)

Sphincter dysfunction

Unable to urinate voluntarily (0 points)
Marked difficulty with urination (1 point)
Mild to moderate difficulty with urination (2 points)
Normal urination (3 points)

Scoring

… out of 17 points. Scoring: ≥ 15 points = mild, 12 to 14 points = moderate, ≤ 11 points = severe.

Reference

Cervical myelopathy is associated with:
Nondermatomal numbness of arms > legs
Gait disturbance (spastic, broad-based gait)
Hand clumsiness (difficulty holding objects or performing fine-motor activites)
Upper extremity radicular symptoms (including Lhermitte phenomenon)
Neck pain and stiffness
Leg stiffness
Urinary difficulties (retention and incontinence)
Bakhsheshian J, Mehta VA, Liu JC. Current diagnosis and management of cervical spondylotic myelopathy. Global Spine J. 2017;7(6):575