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"&amp;lt;h3&amp;gt;What is the&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;\u00A0&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;Straight Leg Raise Test?&amp;lt;/h3&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;If you live with back pain accompanied by pain down your leg (&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/sciatica-facts-296666&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;1&amp;quot;&amp;gt;sciatica&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;) or leg pain alone, your doctor may suspect that a herniated disc is underlying it. A common test to determine if a herniated disc is causing back and leg pain is the straight leg test.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The straight leg test is one of the most common manual tests performed during a &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/how-is-acute-low-back-pain-diagnosed-296712&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;2&amp;quot;&amp;gt;physical exam&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;. Like many manual tests, it is used to check for nerve involvement. Specifically, the straight leg raise test helps your doctor determine if pain down your leg is due to a herniated disc in your back.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The straight leg test is a passive test, meaning you should be relaxed while the examiner lifts your leg for you. The test seeks to \u201Creproduce your pain.\u201D This means your job is to honestly report what you feel once your leg has been lifted.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;h3&amp;gt;What Happens During a Straight Leg Raise Test&amp;lt;/h3&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;To start, the person examining you will ask you to lie on your back with your legs straight. She will then ask you to turn one of your legs in. It\u2019s important to turn the entire lower extremity. This is so the examiner can accurately correlate the anatomical position you are in with the symptoms you report. The examiner will also ask you to bring your leg in towards the center of your body.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Next, the examiner will lift your straight leg up until you complain of pain. If you don\u2019t have pain during the straight leg raise, great! If you get pain in your back or leg from this maneuver, it\u2019s may be a positive sign that a herniated disc is responsible for your leg pain. \u00A0Both legs are tested in a straight leg raise test.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The examiner may repeat the test as you dorsiflex your foot. \u00A0(Dorsiflexion is the opposite of pointing your toes.) She then may repeat the test again while you tuck your chin to your chest. These variations of the straight leg raise test help your doctor check for &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/what-is-neuropathic-pain-p2-297157&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;3&amp;quot;&amp;gt;nerve involvement&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; in the dura mater (covering) of the spinal cord or the spinal cord itself. A positive sign for nerve involvement from the spinal cord or its covering would present itself as your usual pain in your back or leg, but not in your chin, neck or foot.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;If you have difficulty lying on your back or lifting your leg up when it\u2019s straight, take heart, because the straight leg test has modifications. This is why it\u2019s important to speak up and let the examiner know your limitations. Another reason to speak up is to avoid an injury during the testing.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Source:&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt; &amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Magee, D. Orthopedic Physical Assessment. Enhanced Edition. 4th ed. Elsevier. St. Louis. 1997.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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