Femoral nerve stretch test

Femoral nerve stretch test, also known as Mackiewicz sign,^[1] is a test for spinal nerve root compression, which is associated with disc protrusion and femoral nerve injury.

Femoral nerve stretch test
Purpose	related to possible nerve root impingements.

Uses

The femoral nerve stretch test can identify spinal nerve root compression, which is associated with disc protrusion and femoral nerve injury. It can reliably identify spinal nerve root compression for L2, L3, and L4.^[2] It is usually positive for L2-L3 and L3-L4 (high lumbar) disc protrusions, slightly positive or negative in L4–L5 disc protrusions, and negative in cases of lumbosacral disc protrusion.^[3]

Procedure

To perform a femoral nerve stretch test, a patient lies prone, the knee is passively flexed to the thigh and the hip is passively extended (reverse Lasègues).^[2] The test is positive if the patient experiences anterior thigh pain.^[2]

References

1. Ory, Avi (June 2007). "Dr Jacob Mackiewicz (1887-1966) and his sign". Journal of Medical Biography. 15 (2): 102–103. doi:10.1258/j.jmb.2007.06-16. PMID 17551611. S2CID 71610526. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
2. Fritz, Julie (2012-01-01), Andrews, James R.; Harrelson, Gary L.; Wilk, Kevin E. (eds.), "17 - Low Back Rehabilitation", Physical Rehabilitation of the Injured Athlete (Fourth Edition), Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders, pp. 333–356, ISBN 978-1-4377-2411-0, retrieved 2021-01-06
3. Christodoulides, Antonios N (1989). "Ipsilateral Sciatica on Femoral Nerve Stretch Tests is Pathognomonic of and L4/5 Disc Protrusion". The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. 71 (1): 88–89. doi:10.1302/0301-620X.71B1.2915013. PMID 2915013. S2CID 6472889.