Disk herniation is common—it is seen in up to a quarter of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and can be detected even in asymptomatic adults. The slump test has become widely advocated as a neural tissue provocation test for clinical assessment of patients with spinal and lower limb pain. The purpose of this study was to determine the sensory and terminal knee extension limitation responses produced during slump test on radiculopathy affected and unaffected limb in patients with lumbar disk herniation.

To compare the sensory and knee range of motion (ROM) responses produced during slump test on affected and unaffected limb.

Fifty patients, 25 to 45 years of age chronic disk herniation patients with unilateral radiculopathy with/without lower backache. Patient underwent standardized history and physical examination followed by slump test. Outcomes included terminal knee extension limitations and sensory response produced in terms of intensity numeric rating scale (NRS), nature and location (pain drawings).

During slump test end position, NRS score and restricted terminal knee ROM comparative results were highly significant (p < 0.001). Based on nature and location of sensory response, maximum number of subjects in affected limb had pain in center of lower back radiating to whole lower limb and for unaffected limb stretch at back of knee.

In this study, it was suggested that though sensory and knee ROM responses are present in both affected and unaffected limb but the radiculopathy affected limb was more affected in terms of intensity of pain and limitation of motion.

Aggarwal A, Jayakrishnan S, Singh A. Sensory and Knee Range of Motion Responses of Slump Test on Unaffected and Radiculopathy Affected Limb in Patients with Lumbar Disk Herniation. J Postgrad Med Edu Res 2016;50(1): 1-4.