Lasègue’s sign

Name of test

Lasègue’s sign or straight leg test

What it tests

Differentiate the pain of lumbrosacral radiculopathy from hip pain

How to do it

• Place the patient in the supine position.
• Ask the patient to raise his/her leg, without bending the knee, until pain occurs.
• To differentiate this pain from hamstring pain, slightly flex the knee and then dorsiflex the foot. If the pain is similar to the pain elicited by the straight leg raise, then patient is experiencing sciatic pain. Hip pain occurs throughout and does not radiate.

The normal response

No pain until 90 degree of hip flexion with the knee straight

What it means if not normal

Radicular pain possibly caused by disc herniation affecting the nerve, intraspinal lesion, and meningismus, among others. Further testing is needed to pinpoint the cause of pain.

Comments

Performing Lasègue’s sign can cause discomfort to the patient. Be gentle so as to not loose the patient’s compliance.

Citations

3406846

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