Active Straight Leg Raise Test

Lumbo-Pelvic Orthopedic Exam Test

Purpose

Assess the stability of the lumbar spine and pelvic girdle (coxa and sacrum and associated joints - sacroiliac and pubic symphysis joints). Instability has been defined as a condition where there is a loss of stiffness or protective mechanisms in a joint such that normally tolerated external loads result in pain or deformity and place neurological structures at risk. In this case the load of the entire lower extremity is placed on the lower lumbar spine and pelvis. Similar to [Milgram's Test]

Instructions

1. The test is performed with the patient in a supine position with legs straight and feet 20cm apart.

2. The test is performed after the verbal instruction:
"Try to raise your legs, one after the other, above the table for 20cm without bending the knee."

3. The patient asked to score impairment on a sixpoint scale:

0 = not difficult at all
1 = minimally difficult
2 = somewhat difficult
3 = fairly difficult
4 = very difficult
5 = unable to do

4. The scores of both sides are added, so that the summed score ranges from 0 to 10.

5. This test is part of the [Lumbar Instability Test Cluster].

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