Spine
Posteroanterior pressure
PA-druk, veertest
- What you examine
- At which spinal level the complaint sits, and how mobile that segment is.
- Procedure
- Prone, trunk relaxed. Place the pisiform border of your hand on a spinous process and spring gently from posterior to anterior. Work through the levels one by one and compare them.
- Positive when
- Recognisable pain at one level, or a clearly stiffer or looser spring than the levels above and below.
- What the test is worth
- Interrater agreement is fair for provoking pain and poor for judging stiffness. Use the pain response, not your impression of mobility.
- Caution
- With suspected osteoporosis, fracture or malignancy, firm springing is not without risk. Check the red flags first.
- Body region
- Spine