Spine
Femoral nerve stretch test
Rektest n. femoralis, test van Wassermann
- What you examine
- Irritation of the L2, L3 and L4 nerve roots via the femoral nerve.
- Procedure
- Prone. Passively flex the knee and then extend the hip. Add trunk lateral flexion if needed to increase the tension.
- Positive when
- Radiating pain at the front of the thigh, not merely a stretch sensation in the quadriceps.
- What the test is worth
- Sensitivity around 0.84 and specificity around 0.83 for a high lumbar disc herniation. For low lumbar levels the SLR is the test of choice.
- Caution
- A stretch sensation in the quadriceps is normal and does not count. Only radiation the patient recognises is positive.
- Body region
- Spine