A 22-year-old male soccer player is forced to leave the game following a head-to-head collision with another player. He is admitted to the hospital, and radiographic examination reveals slight dislocation of the atlantoaxial joint. As a result, he experiences decreased range of motion at that joint. What movement of the head would most likely be severely affected?
The atlantoaxial joint is a synovial joint responsible for rotation of the head, not flexion, abduction, extension, or adduction. The atlanto-occipital joint is primarily involved in flexion and extension of the head on the neck.
Rotation
Flexion
Abduction
Extension
Upper Extremity