Prone straight leg raise test purpose is to assess:

Prone straight leg raise test purpose is to assess:

• A. To assess hip abductor strength.
• B. To assess knee extensor recruitment.
• C. To assess posterior chain activation sequencing and lumbopelvic control.
• D. To assess lumbar spine flexibility.

Answer: (C)

The test is about how the body coordinates the posterior chain and maintains lumbopelvic stability during hip extension. When you lift a straight leg from a prone position, the main work goes to the gluteus maximus and hamstrings, but successful movement also depends on keeping the pelvis level and the lumbar spine neutral. Observing whether the pelvis tilts or the back arches during the lift shows whether the posterior chain activates in the correct sequence and the lumbopelvic system can control movement. This combination—posterior chain sequencing with trunk and pelvis stability—is what the test is designed to assess. It’s not primarily about hip abductors, knee extensor recruitment, or lumbar spine flexibility.

The test is about how the body coordinates the posterior chain and maintains lumbopelvic stability during hip extension. When you lift a straight leg from a prone position, the main work goes to the gluteus maximus and hamstrings, but successful movement also depends on keeping the pelvis level and the lumbar spine neutral. Observing whether the pelvis tilts or the back arches during the lift shows whether the posterior chain activates in the correct sequence and the lumbopelvic system can control movement. This combination—posterior chain sequencing with trunk and pelvis stability—is what the test is designed to assess. It’s not primarily about hip abductors, knee extensor recruitment, or lumbar spine flexibility.