The Active Straight Leg Raise (ASLR) test is a commonly used test in clinical routine– even recommended by guidelines- to assess instability of the lumbar spine and sacroiliac joint as a potential cause of low back/pelvic pain. This study, following the trends of research which highlight that poor motor control might be the result of pain and not the cause of it, investigated the effect of experimental pain in the outcome of the ASLR test.
The results of the study demonstrate that the presence of pelvic pain alone, even in the absence of biomechanical impairments affect the outcome of the ASLR test in such a way as it has been described in clinical populations. Moreover increased EMG activity of the trunk muscles was reported; results that point towards an excessive stabilization of the spine rather than instability.
> From: Palsson et al., Clin J Pain (2014-12-01 02:01:31) (Epub ahead of print). All rights reserved to Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. . Click here for the online summary.