Thomsen Sign

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What is Thomsen Sign?

Thomsen sign indicates or signals sciatic nerve root irritation.

The Procedure of Performing the Thomsen sign

Position of the Patient – The patient lies in a prone position.

  • Then, the examiner flexes or bends the knee approximately 90° to 12o° with the foot dorsiflexed with his left hand.
  • The examiner places his right-hand superior to the popliteal fossa for palpation of the sciatic nerve as you can see in the diagram below.

thomsen-signTest Results of Thomsen Sign

When the examiner flexes the knee (90° to 12o°) simultaneously (at the same time), the sciatic nerve that runs superior and toward the popliteal fossa experiences pain when palpated. This indicates sciatic nerve root irritation. Usually, this may be due to disk extrusion or the tumor.

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Nerve Root Disorder Test

Duchenne Sign – Used to assess a nerve root disorder.

TipToe and Heel Walking Test – Identifies or pinpoints a nerve root disorder in the lumbar spine.

Sacroiliac Joint Tests

Mennell’s Sign / Mennell’s Test – Used to assess degenerative processes in the sacroiliac joint.

Springing Test – To detect functional impairment in the Thoracic & Lumbar spine & Sacroiliac Joint.

Gaenslen’s Test – To detect any pathology or dysfunction around the sacroiliac joint.

Standing Flexion Test/ Standing Forward Flexion Test – To assess sacroiliac joint dysfunction.

Faber Test / Patrick’s Test – Used to assess the pathology or dysfunction at the hip joint, muscles around the hip joint, and at the sacroiliac joint.

Thoracic Spine Test 

Ott Sign – For Measuring the ROM of the Thoracic Spine

Cervical Tests 

Cervical Flexion Compression Test –  To identify if there is a Herniated disk in the Cervical spine.

Jackson Compression Test –  To Detect Cervical Radiculopathy (Cervical Nerve Root Compression).

Spurling Test – For Diagnosing Cervical Radiculopathy.

Cervical Distraction Test – To detect the presence of cervical radiculopathy.

O’Donoghue Test – Helps in differentiating between muscular pain (strain) and ligamentous pain (articular problem) in the cervical spine.

Soto Hall Test – For Detecting Problem in Patient’s Neck (Cervical Spine).

Maximum Compression of the Intervertebral Foramina Test of Cervical Spine – For Detecting Facet Joint Dysfunction in the Cervical Spine.

Some other Tests

Transverse Humeral Ligament Test 

Lippman Test

Pelvic Ligament Tests – used for the assessment of the pelvic ligaments.

Supported Forward Bend Test (Belt Test) – helps in differentiating lumbar pain and sacroiliac pain.

Adam’s Forward Bend Test – For detecting the presence of scoliosis (either functional or structural).

Noble Compression Test/Noble Test –  To assess pain coming from iliotibial band syndrome.

Neer Test –  For detecting the presence of shoulder impingement syndrome.

Resources

Clinical Tests for the Musculoskeletal System: Examinations-Signs-Phenomena by K. Buckup

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