Tethered cord may present with changes in gait, scoliosis, and what other sign?

• A. Back/buttock pain
• B. Improved gait
• C. Decreased scoliosis
• D. Decreased hypertonia

Answer: (A)

Tethered cord syndrome causes symptoms from abnormal traction on the spinal cord, which worsens with growth and movement. This traction often produces a combination of gait changes and scoliosis due to neural and musculoskeletal imbalance, and a common accompanying sign is pain in the back or buttock region from ongoing tension on the cord and nerve roots. The other options don’t fit the typical pattern: gait does not improve with tethering, scoliosis is not expected to decrease, and abnormal tone is more often increased (hypertonia) or variable rather than decreased. So back/buttock pain is the sign that best completes the triad with gait changes and scoliosis.