Spinal stenosis physical examination
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Physical Examination
During the physical exam, the doctor will try to pinpoint the location of the pain and figure out how it affects your movement. You will be asked to:
- Sit, stand, and walk. While you walk, your doctor may ask you to try walking on your toes and then your heels.
- Bend forward, backward, and sideways.
- Lift your legs straight up while lying down. If the pain is worse when you do this, you may have sciatica, especially if you also feel numbness or tingling in one of your legs.
Your doctor will also move your legs in different positions, including bending and straightening your knees. All the while, the doctor is assessing your strength, as well as your ability to move.
To test nerve function, the doctor will use a rubber hammer to check your reflexes. Touching your legs in many locations with a pin, cotton swab, or feather tests your sensory nervous system (how well you feel). Your doctor will instruct you to speak up if there are areas where the sensation from the pin, cotton, or feather is duller.
A brain/nervous system (neurological) examination can confirm leg weakness and decreased sensation in the legs.