Sciatic nerve excursion during a modified passive straight leg raise test in asymptomatic participants and participants with spinally referred leg pain

Noninvasive Measurement of Sciatic Nerve Stiffness in Patients With Chronic Low Back Related Leg Pain Using Shear Wave Elastography

“…For instance, Hough et al concluded that people with carpal tunnel syndrome have lower longitudinal nerve excursion, whereas others have reported increased nerve stiffness as measured by using SWE . With respect to people with low back–related leg pain, studies reported an increase in the sciatic nerve cross‐sectional area of the affected limb and a change in the nerve transverse excursion during a passive straight leg raise . However, none of these investigations measured sciatic nerve stiffness in people with chronic low back–related leg pain.…”

“…Specifically, an increase in the cross‐sectional area of the affected nerve was observed, in comparison to the unaffected nerve . Another study in this population revealed that the transverse displacement direction of the sciatic nerve was altered . However, these studies did not provide information about neural stiffness, which has been shown to be altered in other peripheral neuropathies .…”

Effects of lower limb neurodynamic mobilization on intraneural fluid dispersion of the fourth lumbar nerve root: an unembalmed cadaveric investigation

“…Initial considerations lead clinicians to suspect a mechanical influence. The perspective of movement and gliding may apply in the context of peripheral nerves within the limbs 23,28 ; however, Ridehalgh et al 29 indicated that the mobility of the lumbar roots were not available using their measurement techniques, and findings by Smith et al 30 were obtained incorporating significant dissection, specifically, laminectomy and facetectomy. Gilbert et al 31,32 found that an in situ SLR produced minimal displacement ( < 1.0 mm) of the L4, L5 and S1 nerve roots, with 60° of hip flexion needed to induce significant movement of the roots.…”

Sciatic nerve stiffness is not changed immediately after a slump neurodynamics technique

“…muscle and connective tissue), and also the nerve itself. The increase in tension may cause the transverse and superficial movements previously observed in the tibial and sciatic nerves during, respectively, ankle dorsiflexion and knee extension manoeuvres 9,26 , affecting the repeatability of the shear wave velocity measurement. Moreover, the increasingly higher stiffness levels of the sciatic nerve were observed in the elastogram as saturation points (i.e.…”

“…Despite providing valuable information, these studies were not conducted in vivo, therefore conclusions are limited regarding the effects of neurodynamics in human nerves. In the recent years, B-mode ultrasonography has been used to assess in real time, the mechanical properties of human peripheral nerves 8,9 . Transverse, and mainly longitudinal neural excursion have been extensively examined, with this technology, in the median 10 , tibial 11 , or in the sciatic nerve 9 , following different neurodynamics techniques.…”