Spurling's Test
Original Editor - Shanae Gordon
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Purpose
[edit | edit source]
To test for a cervical nerve root compression causing cervical radiculopathy[1]
Technique[edit | edit source]
The patient is seated comfortably while examiner stands behind the patient. Examiner interlocks fingers and rests the volar aspect of both hands on top of the patient's head. The examiner laterally flexes the patient's neck approximately 30 degrees to the affected side and then applies a downward axial compression making sure not to laterally flex the patient's neck any further.[1]
Evidence[edit | edit source]
Diagnostic Accuracy[3][edit | edit source]
Sensitivity= .50
Specificity= .88
-LR = .58
+LR= 3.5
Reliability[3][edit | edit source]
Kappa= .60
Resources[edit | edit source]
Tong HC, Haig AJ, Yamakawa K. The Spurling test and cervical radiculopathy. Spine. 2002:27(2):156-9.
Rubinstein SM, Pool JJ, van Tulder MW, Riphagen II, de Vet HC. A systematic review of the diagnostic accuracy of provocative tests of the neck for diagnosing cervical radiculopathy. Eur Spine J. 2007: 16: 307-319.
Shah KC, Rajshekhar V. Reliability of diagnosis of soft cervical disc prolapse using Spurling's test. British Journal of Neurosurgery. 2004: 18(5): 480-483.
Recent Related Research (from Pubmed)[edit | edit source]
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References[edit | edit source]
References will automatically be added here, see adding references tutorial.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Konin JG, Wiksten DL, Isear JA, & Brader H. Special Tests for Orthopedic Examination. Thorofare: SLACK Incorporated; 2006.
- ↑ Online Video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwR9EcKN_Jc, last accessed on 6/4/09
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Flynn TW, Cleland JA, Whitman JM. Users' Guide to the Musculoskeletal Examination. Buckner: Evidence in Motion; 2008.