An interdisciplinary survey on the methodology and interpretation of a common orthopaedic special clinical test: PSLR

Margherita Vittoria Corbo                                                                                 Supervisor: Simon Browning

Abstract

The aim of this study was to understand how the Passive Straight leg raise (PSLR) was performed through the perceptions of osteopaths, chiropractors and physiotherapists final year students and confirm whether the detailed up to date literature was correct in its statements on the reliability and validity of performing a special clinical test such as the PSLR. The study was undertaken due to the lack of research in this field. The objective was to establish whether there was a standard way of performing the PSLR between the inter-disciplines or was there a difference between the intra-disciplines themselves

The null hypothesis used stated that there was no perceivable difference between the disciplines.

To determine this perception a questionnaire was conducted and filled in by four different final year students of the various disciplinary schools. The questionnaire comprised of broken down questions, which described the PSLR, and open-ended questions that the students were asked to comment on and give their views. The questionnaire was handed out to the schools personally by the author, with the hope that at least 30 from each group would respond. Two different osteopathic schools the British School of Osteopathy (BSO) and the London School of Osteopathy (LSO), respectively 32 and 28 osteopaths, 33 chiropractors and 30 physiotherapists replied, giving an overall response rate of >95%.

The main finding showed that although there was a difference in the use of language there were also similarities together with the many differences.

Call is for a standardisation of terms.