Thoracic/Lumbar Spine Special Tests
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| Special Test |
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| Tests for... |
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| Positive (+) Test |
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| Babinski |
upper motor nerve lesion |
great toe extends, others splay (performed on plantar surface) |
| Oppenheim |
upper motor nerve lesion |
great toe extends, others splay (performed on anterior tibia) |
| Straight Leg Raise |
sciatic nerve irritation/spasm; disc herniation |
sciatica - pain at 50-70 degrees; disc herniation - pain at 30 degrees |
| Well Straight Leg Raise |
larger disc lesion/herniation; sciatica |
pain is felt on involved side when univolved leg is raised |
| Hoover |
malingering |
no downward pressure of heel is felt when opposite leg is lifted |
| Kernig |
nerve root, meningeal/dural irritation |
pain disappears with knee FLEX |
| Brudzinski |
nerve root, miningeal/dural irritation |
pain felt in the back or leg with neck FLEX |
| Bowstring (Cram) |
compression or tension of the sciatic nerve |
athelte reports pain with compression in the popliteal fossa |
| Slump |
nerve root tension |
pain is elicited |
| Stork Stance |
spondylolisthesis; pars fracture |
back pain around affected vertebral level |
| Valsalva Maneuver |
Sciatica or disc herniation |
pain in back along the sciatic nerve distribution |
| Beevor's Sign |
thoracic nerve inhibition (T5-T12) |
umbilicus moves up, down or to one side |
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