The stork standing test is used primarily to screen for which condition?

The stork standing test is used primarily to screen for which condition?

• A. Lumbar radiculopathy due to disc herniation
• B. Pars interarticularis stress injury or spondylolysis
• C. Sacroiliac joint dysfunction
• D. Hip impingement

Answer: (B)

The stork standing test targets a stress injury of the pars interarticularis, known as spondylolysis. By standing on one leg and extending the lumbar spine, this position increases stress through the pars area. If there’s a pars interarticularis fracture, this motion commonly reproduces focal low back pain, making the test a useful screen for spondylolysis, especially in young athletes who perform repetitive back extension. It’s not aimed at radicular issues from disc herniation, sacroiliac joint dysfunction, or hip impingement, which produce different pain patterns and are detected with other provocative tests and imaging.

The stork standing test targets a stress injury of the pars interarticularis, known as spondylolysis. By standing on one leg and extending the lumbar spine, this position increases stress through the pars area. If there’s a pars interarticularis fracture, this motion commonly reproduces focal low back pain, making the test a useful screen for spondylolysis, especially in young athletes who perform repetitive back extension. It’s not aimed at radicular issues from disc herniation, sacroiliac joint dysfunction, or hip impingement, which produce different pain patterns and are detected with other provocative tests and imaging.