How many degrees of lumbar flexion are typically available in a healthy adult spine?
About 40–60 degrees.
Pain shooting down the leg into the left foot
Back pain with radiating pain
What is a positive for the prone instability test?
If the pain is relieved when the patient lifts their feet off the ground.
What is the Ankle Brachial Index test used for?
To detect PAD
A 68-year-old patient has bilateral leg pain relieved by sitting and worsened by walking. What is the likely diagnosis?
A 68-year-old patient has bilateral leg pain relieved by sitting and worsened by walking. What is the likely diagnosis?
What muscle is deep, attaches segmentally to lumbar vertebrae, and helps stabilize the spine?
MultifiduS
Limited Lumbar flexion
Mobility deficit
What are the tests for Laslett’s Cluster?
Distraction, Thigh Compression, Compression, and Sacral Thrust.
What is microdisectomy decompression?
Excision of a herniation
A patient with known osteoporosis presents with acute thoracolumbar pain after bending forward. What should you suspect?
Compression fracture
Which spinal level is most commonly involved in lumbar disc herniation, and why?
L4-L5 and L5-S1 are the most common levels due to increased mobility and mechanical stress at these transition zones.
Pt has pain at mid-end range. What is your differential diagnosis?
MCI
What would a grade +3 on the double leg lowering test indicate?
What is an indication of surgical lumbar surgery
disc herniation with radiculopathy, stenosis
unresponsive to 2-6 months of nonsurgical care’
spondylothesis with radiculopathy or claudification
Urgent - progressive neuro deficit, foot drop
Urgent - Cauda equine within 24 hours
What symptom pattern would most likely suggest lumbar spinal stenosis over disc herniation?
Bilateral leg symptoms worsened with extension, improved with flexion
Which direction do lumbar facet joints primarily face?
Medially and posteriorly (sagittal plane)
Pain that doesn’t make sense with the MOI
Back pain with cognitive/affective tendencies
In the TrA Draw in Assessment, where should the bladder of the blood pressure cuff be placed?
S2 level
When is fusion spondylolisthesis indicated?
When stabilization of spine is needed
Which test reproduces radicular symptoms by increasing neural tension in the sciatic nerve?
Straight leg raise (SLR) test
What nerve roots form the lumbar plexus?
L1 to L4.
Lower Back pain resulting from giving birth a few weeks ago. Lower back pain is vague and feels stiff
SIJ dysfunction
How long should a male and female be able to hold the trunk extensor strength test?
Males: 31 seconds Female: 33 seconds
What is the criteria to progress rehab for conservative management of spondylosis/degenerative changes of lumbar spine?
Improved tolerance to WB
Neutral spine position with transitional movements
Improved quality of gait
A 32-year-old weightlifter reports sharp low back pain radiating into the lateral leg and dorsum of the foot. He has difficulty with heel walking. Neuro exam shows diminished sensation over the dorsum of the foot and weakness in great toe extension. Achilles reflex is diminished.
Nerve root: L5
Structure compressing it: Likely L4-L5 disc herniation