Diagnosing PID (prolapse intervertebral disc)

[alophysio]

Hi all, particular thanks to limbin and Dr Damien.

The original question is how to diagnose PID from a clinical test.

I would say that the McKenzie Method has been shown to be fairly good at doing this. I am NOT mcKenzie Trained nor do i use it really but i appreciate the research that has been done that apparently supports the diganosis of disc involvement.

Other points to add...
1. SIJ as a pain producing structure does not refer to the L/S as shown by Fortin et al. HOWEVER, SIJ dysfunction can affect the pressure through the L/S and so cause disc pain. The same goes for hip etc.
2. I thought contralateral SLR usually indicated disc involvement i.e. left sciatica, right SLR <30deg = L sciatic symptoms. But i am not sure on that.
3. Groen et al have shown that the innervation to lumbar segments can be as far away as 4 levels above and 4 levels below - i.e. 8 levels possibly giving you pain at a spinal segment.
Cheers