Features that support a clinical diagnosis of lumbar spinal stenosis include:
- No pain when sitting
- Pain that may occur with or without paresthesias and/or weakness with prolonged standing or walking
- Symptoms are relieved with rest
- Symptoms are present in bilateral lower extremities
- Upon examination, pain is better with spinal flexion, and worse with spinal extension
Watch each test performed:
Lumbar Spine Range of Motion Tests
Spinal Flexion Exam
Dr. Weiner positions the patient standing perpendicular to the viewer, and asks her to bend from the waist as far forward as she can.
Spinal Extension Exam
Dr. Weiner positions the patient standing perpendicular to the viewer and directs the patient to bend backward from the waist as far as she can.
Lateral Side Bending
Dr. Weiner positions the patient facing the viewer. She directs the patient to first run her right hand down her right side as she bends in the same direction from the waist. The same is repeated for the opposite side.
Rotation
Dr. Weiner seats the patient in a chair, facing the viewer. She directs the patient to either cross her arms across her chest, or to hold her arms up enough so they won’t impede her motions. Dr. Weiner then tells the patient to first twist at the waist as far as she can to the right, then to the left.
