Diagnostic value of the lumbar extension-loading test in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis: a cross-sectional study

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

Shin-ichi Konno¹  Koji Otani¹  Shoji Yabuki¹  Shin-ichi Kikuchi¹  Naoto Takahashi¹ 

[1] Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, 1 Hikarigaoka, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan

关键词: Pathology;    Provocation test;    Objective neurological findings;    Subjective symptoms;    Neurogenic intermittent claudication;    Prospective cohort study;    Diagnostic value;    Lumbar spinal stenosis;    Gait-loading test;    Lumbar extension-loading test;   

Others  :  1122277
DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2474-15-259

 received in 2014-01-15, accepted in 2014-07-18,  发布年份 2014

【 摘 要 】

Background

The gait-loading test is a well known, important test with which to assess the involved spinal level in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. The lumbar extension-loading test also functions as a diagnostic loading test in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis; however, its efficacy remains uncertain. The purpose of this study was to compare the diagnostic value of the lumbar extension-loading test with that of the gait-loading test in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis.

Methods

A total of 116 consecutive patients (62 men and 54 women) diagnosed with lumbar spinal stenosis were included in this cross-sectional study of the lumbar extension-loading test. Subjective symptoms and objective neurological findings (motor, sensory, and reflex) were examined before and after the lumbar extension-loading and gait-loading tests. The efficacy of the lumbar extension-loading test for establishment of a correct diagnosis of the involved spinal level was assessed and compared with that of the gait-loading test.

Results

There were no significant differences between the lumbar extension-loading test and the gait-loading test in terms of subjective symptoms, objective neurological findings, or changes in the involved spinal level before and after each loading test.

Conclusions

The lumbar extension-loading test is useful for assessment of lumbar spinal stenosis pathology and is capable of accurately determining the involved spinal level.

【 授权许可】

   
2014 Takahashi et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

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