Agreement and Correlation Between the Straight Leg Raise and Slump Tests in Subjects With Leg Pain

Objective: The straight leg raise (SLR) and slump tests have traditionally been used to identify nerve root compression arising from disk herniation. However, they may be more appropriate as tests of lumbosacral neural tissue mechanosensitivity. The aim of this study was to determine agreement and c...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Walsh, J., Hall, Toby
Format: Journal Article
Published: Elsevier Inc 2009
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/20948
_version_ 1848750453018329088
author Walsh, J.
Hall, Toby
author_facet Walsh, J.
Hall, Toby
author_sort Walsh, J.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Objective: The straight leg raise (SLR) and slump tests have traditionally been used to identify nerve root compression arising from disk herniation. However, they may be more appropriate as tests of lumbosacral neural tissue mechanosensitivity. The aim of this study was to determine agreement and correlation between the SLR and slump tests in a population presenting with back and leg pain. Methods: This was an observational, cross-sectional study design. Forty-five subjects with unilateral leg pain were recruited from an outpatient Back Pain Screening Clinic at a large teaching hospital in Ireland. The SLR and slump tests were performed on each side. In the event of symptom reproduction, the ankle was dorsiflexed. Reproduction of presenting symptoms, which were intensified by ankle dorsiflexion, was interpreted as a positive test. An inclinometer was used to measure range of motion (ROM). Results: There was substantial agreement between SLR and slump test interpretation (? = 0.69) with good correlation in ROM between the 2 tests (r = 0.64) on the symptomatic side. In subjects who had positive results, ROM for both tests was significantly reduced compared to ROM on the contralateral side and ROM in subjects who had negative results. Conclusions: When the SLR and slump tests are interpreted as positive in the event of reproduction of presenting leg pain that are intensified by ankle dorsiflexion, these tests show substantial agreement and good correlation in the leg pain population. When interpreted in this way, these tests may be appropriate tests of neural tissue mechanosensitivity, but further criteria must be met before a definitive conclusion in relation to neural tissue mechanosensitivity may be drawn. © 2009 National University of Health Sciences.
first_indexed 2025-11-14T07:37:04Z
format Journal Article
id curtin-20.500.11937-20948
institution Curtin University Malaysia
institution_category Local University
last_indexed 2025-11-14T07:37:04Z
publishDate 2009
publisher Elsevier Inc
recordtype eprints
repository_type Digital Repository
spelling curtin-20.500.11937-209482017-09-13T13:43:08Z Agreement and Correlation Between the Straight Leg Raise and Slump Tests in Subjects With Leg Pain Walsh, J. Hall, Toby Objective: The straight leg raise (SLR) and slump tests have traditionally been used to identify nerve root compression arising from disk herniation. However, they may be more appropriate as tests of lumbosacral neural tissue mechanosensitivity. The aim of this study was to determine agreement and correlation between the SLR and slump tests in a population presenting with back and leg pain. Methods: This was an observational, cross-sectional study design. Forty-five subjects with unilateral leg pain were recruited from an outpatient Back Pain Screening Clinic at a large teaching hospital in Ireland. The SLR and slump tests were performed on each side. In the event of symptom reproduction, the ankle was dorsiflexed. Reproduction of presenting symptoms, which were intensified by ankle dorsiflexion, was interpreted as a positive test. An inclinometer was used to measure range of motion (ROM). Results: There was substantial agreement between SLR and slump test interpretation (? = 0.69) with good correlation in ROM between the 2 tests (r = 0.64) on the symptomatic side. In subjects who had positive results, ROM for both tests was significantly reduced compared to ROM on the contralateral side and ROM in subjects who had negative results. Conclusions: When the SLR and slump tests are interpreted as positive in the event of reproduction of presenting leg pain that are intensified by ankle dorsiflexion, these tests show substantial agreement and good correlation in the leg pain population. When interpreted in this way, these tests may be appropriate tests of neural tissue mechanosensitivity, but further criteria must be met before a definitive conclusion in relation to neural tissue mechanosensitivity may be drawn. © 2009 National University of Health Sciences. 2009 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/20948 10.1016/j.jmpt.2009.02.006 Elsevier Inc restricted
spellingShingle Walsh, J.
Hall, Toby
Agreement and Correlation Between the Straight Leg Raise and Slump Tests in Subjects With Leg Pain
title Agreement and Correlation Between the Straight Leg Raise and Slump Tests in Subjects With Leg Pain
title_full Agreement and Correlation Between the Straight Leg Raise and Slump Tests in Subjects With Leg Pain
title_fullStr Agreement and Correlation Between the Straight Leg Raise and Slump Tests in Subjects With Leg Pain
title_full_unstemmed Agreement and Correlation Between the Straight Leg Raise and Slump Tests in Subjects With Leg Pain
title_short Agreement and Correlation Between the Straight Leg Raise and Slump Tests in Subjects With Leg Pain
title_sort agreement and correlation between the straight leg raise and slump tests in subjects with leg pain
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/20948