Sensitivity of Laségue Sign and Slump Test in Hernia and Disc Bulging Diagnoses Compared with Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Objective To show the accuracy of the most used maneuvers in the clinical diagnosis of lumbosciatalgia, the slump test and the Laségue sign. Methods In order to perform the present study, 101 patients with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) discopathy (gold standard) were selected and had their medical records reviewed to identify which had the positive maneuvers on the initial physical examination. Results The sensitivity found for the slump test and the Laségue sign in the diagnosis of disc herniation was 55.3% and 18.1%, respectively. Nonetheless, when they were compared with each other for the diagnosis of disc bulging, the sensitivity obtained was of 85.7% for the slump test and of 28.6% for the Laségue sign. Conclusion Comparing both clinical exams with MRI, it was found that the slump test presents superior sensitivity compared with the Laségue sign for both the diagnosis of hernia and disc bulging, and should be more present in clinical practice.