Which ROM range in SLR is most indicative of lumbar disc herniation at L4-S1 nerve roots?

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Multiple Choice

Which ROM range in SLR is most indicative of lumbar disc herniation at L4-S1 nerve roots?

The straight leg raise tests neural tension of the lumbar nerve roots as you lift the leg. When a disc herniation at the L4–S1 level irritates those roots, radicular symptoms are most reliably reproduced as the leg is raised into the 30–70 degree range. If pain appears earlier (0–30 degrees), it’s more often due to non-radicular factors like hamstring tightness. If symptoms show up only after about 70 degrees, the sign is less specific for disc herniation and can relate to other structures such as the hamstrings or facet joints. Therefore, the 30–70 degree window is the most indicative range for a lumbar disc herniation affecting L4–S1 nerve roots.

The straight leg raise tests neural tension of the lumbar nerve roots as you lift the leg. When a disc herniation at the L4–S1 level irritates those roots, radicular symptoms are most reliably reproduced as the leg is raised into the 30–70 degree range. If pain appears earlier (0–30 degrees), it’s more often due to non-radicular factors like hamstring tightness. If symptoms show up only after about 70 degrees, the sign is less specific for disc herniation and can relate to other structures such as the hamstrings or facet joints. Therefore, the 30–70 degree window is the most indicative range for a lumbar disc herniation affecting L4–S1 nerve roots.

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