Neuromusculoskeletal (NMS) II Lecture Exam 2 Practice

Straight-leg-raise is more sensitive than it is specific for lumbar radiculopathy. A highly sensitive test is good at catching true cases, so when the test is negative, it significantly lowers the likelihood of radiculopathy. That makes it useful for ruling out the condition if the result is negative. A positive result can support radiculopathy but isn’t definitive on its own because the test isn’t highly specific and can be positive in other conditions.