Table 2 Characteristics of included studies

Iversen et al. (2013)

Norway

N = 116

Male = 68

Female = 48

Mean age = 42

Out-patient multi-disciplinary back clinics

History & clinical presentation suggestive of chronic lumbar radiculopathy

Orthopaedic manual physiotherapists and neurologists

FNS, SLR, sensory, motor, knee reflex, ankle reflex

Suri et al. (2011) [21]

USA

N = 54

Male =28

Female = 26

Mean age = 54

Hospital spine centre

(January 2008 – March 2009)

Lower extremity radiating pain of

Physiatrists specialized in spine care

SLR, Crossed SLR, FNST, sensory, motor, patella & Achilles reflexes

Trainor & Pinnington (2011) [16]

UK

N = 16

Male =7

Female = 9

Mean age = 49

Orthopedic spinal clinic (6 months)

Pain radiating into one or both legs distal to the groin or gluteal fold

Distribution of pain in dermatomal pattern

Physiotherapists

Slump knee bend test

Coster et al. (2010) [7]

Netherlands

N = 202

Male =92

Female = 110

Mean age = 46

Neurology department (January 2006 – March 2007)

Subjects referred by general practitioners with clinical suspicion of Lumbo-Sacral Radicular Syndrome (LSRS)

Neuro-physiologist

Sensory, motor, reflex and SLR test

Suri et al. (2010) [15]

USA

N = 51 (independent group)

Male =40

Female = 11

Mean age = 54

Hospital spine centre

(January 2008 – March 2009)

Patients presenting with lower extremity radiating pain and MRI-visible lumbar disk herniation.

Physiatrists specialized in spine care

Sensory (soft touch & pin prick), motor (heel raise & sit-to-stand), reflex and neural provocation

Bertilson et al. (2010) [14]

Sweden

N = 61

Male =12

Female = 49

Mean age = 60

Radiology clinic (February - September 2004)

Patients referred for lumbar spine MRI

Orthopaedic surgeon & certified radiologist

Sensory (soft touch & pain prick), motor (hypotrophy), tendon reflex, tender point palpation

Lee-Robinson (2010) [2]

USA

N = 70

Male =31

Female = 39

Mean age = 65

Electro-diagnosis, physical medicine & rehabilitation clinic

(January to October 2009)

Patients with low back pain and radicular lower extremity symptoms of weakness, numbness, and pain and abnormal lumbar MRI findings

Physician (specialist in electro-diagnostics & physical medicine & rehab)

Ankle reflex, pin wheel examination, motor testing

Majlesi (2008) [20]

Turkey

N = 180

Male =

Female =

Mean age =

Neuro-surgery department (January – June 2005)

Patients with complaints suggestive of lumbar disc herniation with low back, leg, or low back and leg pain

Neuro-surgeons

Slump and SLR tests

Rabin (2007) [19]

USA

N = 38 (MRI +)

Male =30

Female = 8

Mean age = 38

Neuro- and orthopedic surgery clinic

Low back pain or paraesthesia radiationg below the knee

Unclear

Seated SLRT and supine SLRT

Vroomen et al. (2002) [10]

Netherlands

N = 58 (MRI +)

Male = ?

Female = ?

Mean age = ?

Neurology department

Patients referred to the neurology

department with a new episode of pain radiating into the leg below the gluteal fold.

Neuro-radiologist

Paresis, finger floor distance, tendon reflexes, sensory,

Haldeman (1998) [18]

USA

N = 100

Male = ?

Female = ?

Mean age = ?

Neurology and surgery

Patients with complaints of low-back pain and leg pain, consistent with a diagnosis of sciatica

Certified neuro-radiologist and orthopaedic surgeon

SLRT, motor, sensory, reflex

Albeck (1996) [13]

Denmark

N = 80

Male =48

Female = 32

Mean age = 40

Neuro-surgery clinic

Mono-radicular pain from L5 or S1

Neuro-surgeon

sensory, motor, tendon reflexes