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Schober test

Measures flexion of the lumbar spine. Procedure: - the patient stands erect, with heels together, - marks are made over the spine 5 cm below & 10 cm above the lumbosacral junction (horizontal line between the posterior iliac spines) - the patient bends forward as far as possible & the distance between the 2 marks is measured - normally, the distance increases by >= 5 cm - an increase in < 5 cm indicates early lumbar ankylosis Clinical significance: - test is important because the largest contribution to a forward bend is from hip flexion - some patients can touch the floor despite a fixed spine

Related

ankylosing spondylitis, axial spondyloarthritis; Marie Strumpell disease; Bechterew's disease (AS)

General

physical examination technique

References

  1. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 14th ed. Fauci et al (eds), McGraw-Hill Inc. NY, 1998, pg 1905
  2. Mayo Internal Medicine Board Review, 1998-99, Prakash UBS (ed) Lippincott-Raven, Philadelphia, 1998, pg 864
  3. Medical Knowledge Self Assessment Program (MKSAP) 11, American College of Physicians, Philadelphia 1998