Straight Leg Raise Self-Check
Also known as SLR test, Lasegue self-check.
Checks: Whether lifting the straight leg reproduces leg pain from a sensitised sciatic nerve
What this checks
This checks whether raising your straight leg while lying down reproduces pain down the back of that leg. Lifting the leg puts the sciatic nerve on stretch, so a familiar shooting or pulling leg pain in a low range points towards the nerve being sensitive.
Do not do this test if
you have had a recent significant back injury or fall, any loss of bladder or bowel control, numbness around the saddle area, spreading or worsening leg weakness, pins and needles in both legs, or you feel unwell. Seek urgent medical care for any of those - do not use this test.
How to do it
Step 1
Lie flat on your back
- Lie on a bed or the floor with both legs straight and relaxed.
- Rest your head down.
Step 2
Slowly lift one straight leg
- Keeping the knee straight, raise the leg towards the ceiling at a slow, steady pace.
- Stop as soon as you feel a strong pull or your familiar leg pain.
Step 3
Note the height and the symptoms
- Note roughly how high the leg came up and where you felt it.
- Leg pain, pins and needles or pulling that starts in a low range, well before the leg is vertical, is the response to look for.
Step 4
Lower the leg and compare with the other side
- Lower slowly and rest.
- Repeat with the other leg and compare how high it goes and how it feels.
What your result means
Likely normal
A negative result usually looks like this.
- Both legs lift to a similar height.
- You feel only a mild stretch behind the thigh or knee, not your usual pain.
- No pins and needles or shooting pain down the leg.
Possible problem
A positive result usually looks like this.
- Your familiar leg pain, pins and needles or tightness comes on early in the lift.
- The symptomatic leg lifts much less far than the other before symptoms stop you.
- Pulling the foot up towards you at that point makes the leg symptoms worse.
Tips for a clearer result
Small things that make the test easier to read.
- Lift slowly - a quick lift can trigger a stronger response than you want.
- Keep the resting leg flat and relaxed.
- Stop at the first sign of your familiar pain and let it settle before trying the other side.
How to read this
A positive result may point towards sciatica or nerve-related back pain, where a nerve from the lower back is sensitive, but it cannot confirm it - tight hamstrings and other problems can limit a straight leg raise too, and only a hands-on assessment can tell you for sure.
This is a guide, not a diagnosis. It cannot rule a problem in or out - a physiotherapist can. If your symptoms are severe, spreading, or you feel unwell, see a doctor. Please do not start exercises based on these tests without guidance from a physiotherapist who has assessed you; doing so is at your own risk.
Points towards
If your result points to a problem, these condition guides are a good place to start reading.
Reproduced your pain?
A positive result is worth getting looked at. Book a £40 online assessment with an HCPC-registered physiotherapist, wherever you are in the UK.
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