The Straight Leg Raise test is used to assess for which condition?

• A. Sciatic Leg Response
• B. Spinal Lumbar Reduction
• C. Semi-Lateral Rotation
• D. Straight Leg Raise

Answer: (D)

The test is used to detect irritation or compression of the lumbar nerve roots, typically from a herniated disc, by putting tension on the sciatic nerve and its roots. When the patient lies on their back and the leg is raised with the knee straight, pain that radiates down the leg (often below the knee) that appears around roughly 30–70 degrees of elevation suggests radiculopathy due to nerve root compression. This is the hallmark finding, pointing to a lumbar disc issue affecting the nerve roots, most often at the L5–S1 level.

Other terms don’t describe this nerve-tension assessment for the lumbar spine, whereas the Straight Leg Raise directly tests for nerve root irritation. If the pain is only a hamstring stretch without radicular distribution, that tends to reflect soft-tissue tightness rather than nerve root compression.