Lumbar spine

Question 1

Straight leg raise

Answer 1

Supine
Hip medially rotated and adducted.
Flex leg from hip, keep leg fully extended
Raise leg until pain/discomfort, slightly lower leg out of this range
Dorsiflex foot- Bragards
Flex big toe- Cicards

Question 2

What does it test - SLR

Answer 2

Increased pressure on nerve root
Piriformis entrapment
SI/lumbar sprain/strain
35-70deg tension in sciatic roots over intervertebral discs.
More than 70deg - SIJ or lumbar joint pathology.

Question 3

+Ve - SLR

Answer 3

Radicular leg P (shooting)
Localised low back pain

Question 4

Femoral nerve traction test

Answer 4

Pt lay on unaffected side
Flex lower leg
Neutral spine
Head slightly flexed
Extend top leg to 15 deg, flex knee (further stretch fem nerve)

Question 5

What does it test - Femoral nerve traction test

Answer 5

Femoral nerve or root compression

Question 6

+Ve - Femoral nerve traction test

Answer 6

Radiation down anterior thigh
*P may be caused from tight IT band= -ve)

P in groin + hip that radiates along ant/med thigh= L3 nerve root problem
P extending to mid tibia indicates L4 nerve root problem