Physical Exam

Straight Leg Raise

also known as Lasègue sign

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Video coming September 2026

How to Perform

With the patient supine, lift the affected leg by the heel with the knee kept straight, raising it slowly. A positive test is reproduction of the patient's radiating leg pain (below the knee) at roughly 30–70° of hip flexion.

How to Interpret

Lumbar Disc Herniation

Positive straight leg raise

Rule in

—

Rule out

Somewhat helpful

Evidence:Strong

Lumbosacral Radiculopathy

Straight-leg-raise (Lasègue) sign positive

Rule in

Somewhat helpful

Rule out

Somewhat helpful

Evidence:Limited

References

van der Windt DAWM, Simons E, Riphagen II, Ammendolia C, Verhagen AP, Laslett M, Deville W, Deyo RA, Bouter LM, de Vet HCW, Aertgeerts B. Physical examination for lumbar radiculopathy due to disc herniation in patients with low-back pain. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2010 Feb 17;(2):CD007431. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD007431.pub2. PMID 20166095. Reference standard: surgical or imaging findings of disc herniation.
Tawa N, Rhoda A, Diener I. Accuracy of clinical neurological examination in diagnosing lumbo-sacral radiculopathy: a systematic literature review. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2017 Feb 23;18(1):93. doi:10.1186/s12891-016-1383-2. PMID 28231784. PMC5324296 (open access). QUADAS-assessed; 12 primary studies; target = lumbosacral radiculopathy / nerve-root impingement (NOT disc herniation). Reports SLR as a MEAN across studies, not a bivariate pooled meta-analytic estimate.
Fairbank J, Hashimoto R, Dailey A, Patel AA, Dettori JR. Does patient history and physical examination predict MRI proven cauda equina syndrome? Evid Based Spine Care J. 2011 Nov;2(4):27-33. doi:10.1055/s-0031-1274754. PMID 23230403. PMC3506147. Open access.
Lazarević LK. Ischias postica Cotunnii: jedan prilog za njenu diferencijalnu dijagnozu. Srp Arh Celok Lek. 1880;7:23-35.