Does straight leg raise test for sciatica?

The straight leg raise (SLR) test is the most commonly performed physical test for diagnosis of sciatica and lumbar disc hernia [10]. The SLR is considered positive when it evokes radiating pain along the course of the sciatic nerve and below the knee between 30 and 70 degrees of hip flexion [2].

How do you assess for sciatica?

During the physical exam, your doctor may check your muscle strength and reflexes. For example, you may be asked to walk on your toes or heels, rise from a squatting position and, while lying on your back, lift your legs one at a time. Pain that results from sciatica will usually worsen during these activities.

How reliable is the straight leg raise test?

Most studies assessed the Straight Leg Raising (SLR) test. In surgical populations, characterized by a high prevalence of disc herniation (58% to 98%), the SLR showed high sensitivity (pooled estimate 0.92, 95% CI: 0.87 to 0.95) with widely varying specificity (0.10 to 1.00, pooled estimate 0.28, 95% CI: 0.18 to 0.40).

How can you test for sciatica at home?

Now slump…and look down. Now raise and straighten one leg, with toes in the air. Repeat for the other side. If your leg with pain, numbness, or tingling does not go up as high as the other leg, or this maneuver makes your symptoms worse, you likely have sciatica.

How do you read a straight leg raise test?

If the patient experiences sciatic pain, and more specifically pain radiating down the leg (radiculopathy), when the straight leg is at an angle of between 30 and 70 degrees, then the test is positive and a herniated disk is a possible cause of the pain. A negative test suggests a likely different cause for back pain.

What does a positive straight leg raise test mean?

A positive straight leg raise test usually indicates S1 or L5 root irritation. Sensitivity is about 91%, and specificity is 26%. Pain that does not increase with dorsiflexion or neck flexion may indicate a lesion in the lumbosacral, sacroiliac, or hamstring area. Pain on the opposite side could indicate a large spac-occupying lesion. 1,17,37

How to perform a straight leg raise test?

A straight leg raise test is performed by having the patient lie flat on a bed. With the leg straight, the patient should then raise their foot off the bed and hold it in the air. People should be able to hold the leg straight up with the heel elevated off an examination bed.

What does a positive straight leg raise mean?

A straight leg raise test is one of several tools doctors use to determine whether leg symptoms are due to a herniated disc, slipped disc, spinal instability, extra tight hip or back muscles, or something else.

What is a positive straight leg raise?

With supine straight-leg-raise testing, a positive result has been defined as radiating pain observed at 30 to 70 degrees of hip flexion, with a smaller angle indicating a more significantly positive result. The crossed straight-leg-raise test is performed with the straight-leg-raise test.