The straight leg raise is one of the first exercises done after hip or knee replacement surgery. It is easy to perform and gently stresses the hip joint as the ROM is gradually increased. It can be taught by the physical therapist, after which you can continue to do it on your own at home.
The straight leg raise is also used by healthcare providers and physical therapists to assess lumbar spine impingement, herniated discs, and sciatic pain. It can help differentiate injuries of the hip from that of the lumbar spine.
Instructions
You need no special equipment to do a straight leg raise other than space where you can lie on your back freely. From start to finish, the exercise takes around five minutes to complete and is usually performed with other complementary exercises three to four times per day.
To start the straight leg raise:
Lie on your back with your hips square and your legs laid out comfortably on the floor. Bend the knee of your non-injured leg at a 90-degree angle, planting the foot flatly on the floor. Stabilize the muscles on your straight leg by contracting your quadriceps (the group of muscles on the front of your thigh). Inhaling slowly, lift the straight leg six inches off the ground. Hold for three seconds. Exhaling slowly, lower the leg to the floor with control Relax and repeat 10 times more.
When done correctly, you will feel the tension in your hip, thigh, and abdomen throughout the movement.
Variations
To make the straight leg raise more challenging, add a small cuff weight to your leg. Start by placing the weight on your thigh, lowering it to your ankle as you get stronger. This helps to decrease torque around your hip and knee and protect them from injury. Your physical therapist can help determine the right weight for you.
Sometimes the straight eg raise may be uncomfortable, so other hip-strengthening exercises are used.
These may include:
Isometric gluteal medius exercisesQuadruped hip extensionProne straight leg raiseWall slidesSide raises with resistance bands
Diagnostic Testing
In addition to its therapeutic application, the straight leg raise can be used diagnostically to evaluate the strength and stability of your leg. The exercise is performed passively as the healthcare provider or physical therapist lifts your leg while you are lying on your back on an examining table.
The straight leg raise test (SLRT) can be used to diagnose and differentiate joint or neuromuscular disorders. It is mainly used to determine whether low back pain is caused by disc herniation in the lumbar spine
To perform the SLRT, each leg is tested individually with the normal leg lifted first.
To begin:
You would lie on your back without a pillow under your head. Both legs would be extended in front of you with your hips squarely positioned. The practitioner would lift your injured leg by the back of the ankle until you complain of tightness or pain. The injured leg would be lowered. The practitioner would then lift the non-injured leg to see how high it can be raised.
The test can help the practitioner determine if there is hip pain or radiculopathy (pinched nerve) in the lumbosacral region of the spine.
The SLRT is also known as the Lasègue’s sign. The test was named after the 19th-century physician, Ernest-Charles Lasègue, who introduced the test as a means to confirm sciatica and lumbar disc problems.
