Sciatica pain is experienced on compression, inflammation, pinching, or irritation of one of the five roots giving rise to the sciatic nerve.

Sciatica is a symptom that is suggestive of an underlying cause and pathology. From here the sciatic nerve branches into other nerves that run down your leg and your foot and toes.

These five nerve roots together sum up to form a right and left sciatic nerve, ending just below the knee. The sciatic nerve is the longest and thickest nerve of the body with five roots (two roots from the lower back or lumbar spinal region and three roots from the lowest section of the spine called the sacrum). As a result of these drawbacks it is probable that test sensitivity was overestimated and test specificity underestimated.Sciatica is a term used to define pain along the path of the sciatic nerve that runs from the pelvis through the buttocks and hips down to the back of each leg, ending just below the knee. Several types of bias and other methodological drawbacks were encountered in the studies limiting the validity of the study results. There was considerable disagreement on the specificity of the other neurological signs (paresis, sensory loss, reflex loss). The crossed straight leg raising test was the only sign shown to be specific the pooled sensitivity and specificity values were 0.30 and 0.84, respectively. However, the sensitivity values varied greatly, the pooled sensitivity and specificity values being 0.85 and 0.52, respectively. Of the physical examination signs the straight leg raising test was the only sign consistently reported to be sensitive for sciatica due to disc herniation. Pain distribution seemed to be the only useful history item. Few studies investigated the value of the history. A meta-analysis was performed when study results allowed statistical pooling. Our search revealed 37 studies meeting the selection criteria these were systematically and independently read by three readers to determine diagnostic test properties using a standard scoring list to determine the methodological quality of the diagnostic information. Studies on the diagnostic value of history and physical examination in the diagnosis of sciatica due to disc herniation are subject to important biases, and information on numerous signs and symptoms is scarce or absent. We conducted a systematic review of the literature from 1965–1994 to assess the value of history and physical examination in the diagnosis of sciatica due to disc herniation we also included population characteristics and features of the study design affecting diagnostic value.

Sciatica examination