Waddell signs are a group of clinical observations used during low back pain assessment to identify responses that may suggest a broader biopsychosocial contribution to pain. They should not be interpreted as proof that pain is fake, exaggerated, psychological or intentionally produced. A positive W...
The Slump Test is a seated neurodynamic test used to assess symptom response when the nervous system is progressively loaded through spinal flexion, cervical flexion, knee extension and ankle dorsiflexion. A positive Slump Test may suggest increased neural mechanosensitivity when it reproduces famil...
The Straight Leg Raise Test is a supine neurodynamic and symptom-response test commonly used when a client has low back pain with posterior thigh, calf or foot symptoms. It progressively loads the posterior lower limb and lumbosacral nerve roots by lifting the straight leg while monitoring symptom l...
The McKenzie Side Glide Test assesses how lumbar symptoms respond to repeated or sustained side-gliding movement. It is commonly used when a person has low back pain, referred leg symptoms, a visible lateral shift, or suspected directional preference. A positive test may involve centralisation, symp...
The Leg Lowering Test is a supine assessment used to observe how well a client can maintain lumbopelvic position while the legs are lowered from a vertical position toward the table. It is commonly used as an abdominal muscle performance, lower abdominal control or lumbopelvic control test. A strong...
The Bragard Sign Test is a neurodynamic assessment used after a Straight Leg Raise. The examiner raises the leg until symptoms are reproduced, lowers it slightly below the symptom threshold, then dorsiflexes the ankle to assess whether familiar neural-type leg symptoms return. A positive finding may...
The Piriformis Test assesses whether hip positioning or resisted movement reproduces familiar buttock or sciatic-type symptoms. A positive finding may increase suspicion of deep gluteal space involvement when it matches the client’s symptoms and other findings. Current 2020+ evidence supports a broa...
The Patellar-Pubic Percussion Test is a bedside screening test that compares sound transmission through the femur and pelvis. A reduced or altered sound on the symptomatic side may increase suspicion of a fracture or bony disruption, but the test should not replace imaging or urgent referral when fr...
The McCarthy Test is a hip special test used to assess whether controlled hip movement reproduces symptoms commonly associated with intra-articular hip irritation. A positive test may include familiar hip or groin pain, clicking, catching or painful mechanical symptoms. Current evidence for the exac...
The Hip Quadrant Test is a hip joint provocation test used to assess symptom response during combined hip flexion, adduction, internal rotation and compression. A positive finding may increase suspicion of intra-articular hip involvement when it reproduces familiar groin or hip symptoms. Current evi...
The Gaenslen Test is a sacroiliac joint pain provocation test that places one hip into flexion and the opposite hip into extension to stress the pelvic ring and SIJ region. A positive finding may increase suspicion of sacroiliac joint complex pain when it reproduces the client’s familiar symptoms. C...
The Fulcrum Test is an orthopaedic screening test used to assess whether controlled bending stress applied to the femur reproduces familiar thigh pain associated with a possible femoral stress injury. A positive test may increase suspicion of a femoral stress fracture when it matches the client's hi...
