MSK LQ Unit 1 Special Tests

0.0(0)

Studied by 0 people

Call Kai

Learn

Practice Test

Spaced Repetition

Match

Flashcards

Knowt Play

Card Sorting

1/6

There's no tags or description

Looks like no tags are added yet.

Last updated 9:53 PM on 5/16/26

Name	Mastery	Learn	Test	Matching	Spaced	Call with Kai

No analytics yet

Send a link to your students to track their progress

7 Terms

New cards

Lumbar Quadrant Test

Purpose: Facet joint involvement

How to Perform:

pt standing → side bend → rotate toward the test side
Apply OP only if pt has no pain

Positive Test: reproduction of symptoms

Interpretation: Highly sensitive, so a negative test helps rule OUT facet joint involvement

<p><strong>Purpose:</strong> Facet joint involvement</p><p><strong>How to Perform:</strong></p><ol><li><p>pt standing → side bend → rotate toward the test side</p></li><li><p>Apply OP only if pt has no pain</p></li></ol><p></p><p><strong>Positive Test: </strong>reproduction of symptoms</p><p><strong>Interpretation: </strong>Highly sensitive, so a negative test helps rule OUT facet joint involvement</p>

New cards

Prone Lumbar Instability Test

Purpose: See if active muscle stabilization reduces symptoms; Determine whether lumbar stabilization exercises may decrease the patient’s pain

How to Perform:

Patient prone at edge of table with both feet on the floor
Perform PA glide over the painful/hypermobile lumbar segment
Reassess the same PA glide with the legs lifted off the floor

Positive Test: Pain decreases or symptoms change when the legs are lifted

Interpretation:

Positive = patient may benefit from stabilization exercises
Negative = stabilization exercises may be less helpful/questionable

<p><strong>Purpose:</strong> See if active muscle stabilization reduces symptoms; Determine whether lumbar stabilization exercises may decrease the patient’s pain</p><p></p><p><strong>How to Perform:</strong></p><ol><li><p>Patient prone at edge of table with both feet on the floor</p></li><li><p>Perform PA glide over the painful/hypermobile lumbar segment</p></li><li><p>Reassess the same PA glide with the legs lifted off the floor</p></li></ol><p></p><p><strong>Positive Test:</strong> Pain decreases or symptoms change when the legs are lifted</p><p></p><p><strong>Interpretation:</strong></p><ul><li><p>Positive = patient may benefit from stabilization exercises</p></li><li><p>Negative = stabilization exercises may be less helpful/questionable</p></li></ul><p></p>

New cards

Passive Lumbar Extension Test

Purpose: Assess lumbar spine instability

How to Perform:

Patient prone on table
Lift both legs about 30 cm off the table
Add slight distraction

Positive Test: Reproduction of LBP and sense of heaviness

Interpretation: Suggests lumbar spine instability

<p><strong>Purpose:</strong> Assess lumbar spine instability</p><p></p><p><strong>How to Perform:</strong></p><ol><li><p>Patient prone on table</p></li><li><p>Lift both legs about 30 cm off the table</p></li><li><p>Add slight distraction</p></li></ol><p></p><p><strong>Positive Test:</strong> Reproduction of LBP and sense of heaviness</p><p></p><p><strong>Interpretation: </strong>Suggests lumbar spine instability</p>

New cards

SLR Test

Purpose: Assess hamstring flexibility and neural tension of the sciatic nerve

How to Perform:

Patient supine
Start with the tested leg straight
Passively lift the tested leg
Monitor for symptoms

Positive Test: Reproduction of symptoms between 30°–70°

Interpretation:

Suggests neural tension/sciatic nerve involvement
May be associated with lumbar disc pathology

<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Assess hamstring flexibility and neural tension of the sciatic nerve</p><p></p><p><strong>How to Perform:</strong></p><ol><li><p>Patient supine</p></li><li><p>Start with the tested leg straight</p></li><li><p>Passively lift the tested leg</p></li><li><p>Monitor for symptoms</p></li></ol><p></p><p><strong>Positive Test: </strong>Reproduction of symptoms between 30°–70°</p><p></p><p><strong>Interpretation:</strong></p><ul><li><p>Suggests neural tension/sciatic nerve involvement</p></li><li><p>May be associated with lumbar disc pathology</p></li></ul><p></p>

New cards

Crossed SLR Test

Purpose: Assess for lumbar disc herniation/neural tension

How to Perform:

1. Patient supine

2. Lift the non-symptomatic/opposite leg straight

3. Monitor for symptoms in the opposite leg

Positive Test: Symptoms are reproduced in the opposite leg between 30°–70°

Interpretation: Highly specific for ruling IN a herniated disc when positive

<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Assess for lumbar disc herniation/neural tension</p><p></p><p><strong>How to Perform:</strong></p><p>1. Patient supine</p><p>2. Lift the non-symptomatic/opposite leg straight</p><p>3. Monitor for symptoms in the opposite leg</p><p></p><p><strong>Positive Test: </strong>Symptoms are reproduced in the opposite leg between 30°–70°</p><p></p><p><strong>Interpretation:</strong> Highly specific for ruling IN a herniated disc when positive</p>

New cards

SLR Test

Purpose: Differentiate hamstring tightness from neural tension

Positive Test: Tension felt after 70°

Interpretation: More consistent with hamstring tightness rather than nerve root/disc involvement

<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Differentiate hamstring tightness from neural tension</p><p></p><p><strong>Positive Test: </strong>Tension felt after 70°</p><p></p><p><strong>Interpretation: </strong>More consistent with hamstring tightness rather than nerve root/disc involvement</p>

New cards

Slump Test

Purpose: Assess neurological pathology from the spinal cord, spinal nerve roots, or sciatic nerve

How to Perform: check symptoms at every step!

Patient seated EOB, hands behind back, neutral spine
Thoracolumbar flexion with neutral cervical spine
PT maintains pt’s thoracolumbar flexion
Cervical flexion
Knee extension (active or passive)
Ankle DF (active or passive)

Positive Test: Reproduction of neurological symptoms

Sensitizers: Cervical flexion and ankle DF

<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Assess neurological pathology from the spinal cord, spinal nerve roots, or sciatic nerve</p><p></p><p><strong>How to Perform: </strong><span style="color: red;"><strong>check symptoms at every step!</strong></span></p><ol><li><p>Patient seated EOB, hands behind back, neutral spine</p></li><li><p>Thoracolumbar flexion with neutral cervical spine</p></li><li><p>PT maintains pt’s thoracolumbar flexion</p></li><li><p>Cervical flexion</p></li><li><p>Knee extension (active or passive)</p></li><li><p>Ankle DF (active or passive)</p></li></ol><p></p><p><strong>Positive Test: </strong>Reproduction of neurological symptoms</p><p></p><p><strong>Sensitizers: </strong>Cervical flexion and ankle DF</p>