Lasegue test was named after French doctor of medicine Charles Lasègue (1816 – 1883). The patient is on his back with extended knees and hips. The examiner lifts the patient’s leg which must remain extended in the knee, so that only hip flexion occurs.
A healthy person can lift their leg up to 90 degrees with no pain, only tension in the hamstrings. Test is positive if flexion causes pain which can be localized in the lumbar spine but also along the leg. This test proves irritation in L5 and S1 nerve roots.
- Pain which occurs in 0-30 degrees of Laseque test means that further diagnostics must be performed by the neurosurgeon along with intense physical therapy.
- Pain occurring in 30-60 degrees of Laseque test means there is medium irritation, which is solved by physical therapy.
- Pain occurring in 60-90 degrees of Laseque test means that only slight irritation is present and with physical therapy we can reduce symptoms and pain in a short period of time.
Lasegue test is a clinical test which cannot be a replacement for diagnostic procedures required with spinal pain, but it can be helpful in terms of pointing out greatness and specificity of the issue, it being a part of back pain clinical exam.
