Which test is specifically designed to screen for pars interarticularis stress injury in athletes?

Which test is specifically designed to screen for pars interarticularis stress injury in athletes?

• A. Slump test
• B. Kemp's test
• C. Straight leg raise
• D. Stork standing test

Answer: (D)

Screening for pars interarticularis stress injuries in athletes is best performed with the Stork standing test. Pars interarticularis injuries, or spondylolysis, arise from repetitive lumbar extension and rotation and commonly affect young athletes such as gymnasts and football players, presenting as localized low back pain that worsens with activity. In this test, the athlete stands on one leg, raises the opposite knee to help balance, and then extends the lumbar spine while maintaining stance. Reproduction of lumbar pain during this single-leg extension indicates stress on the pars interarticularis, making it a targeted screen for this condition. This specificity comes from loading the pars region directly through the combined demand of trunk extension and unilateral stance. By contrast, the slump test targets neural tension, Kemp's test stresses facet joints and potential nerve root irritation through extension and axial loading, and the straight-leg raise isolates neural tension along the sciatic pathway. Therefore, the Stork standing test is the most appropriate choice for screening pars interarticularis stress injury.

Screening for pars interarticularis stress injuries in athletes is best performed with the Stork standing test. Pars interarticularis injuries, or spondylolysis, arise from repetitive lumbar extension and rotation and commonly affect young athletes such as gymnasts and football players, presenting as localized low back pain that worsens with activity. In this test, the athlete stands on one leg, raises the opposite knee to help balance, and then extends the lumbar spine while maintaining stance. Reproduction of lumbar pain during this single-leg extension indicates stress on the pars interarticularis, making it a targeted screen for this condition. This specificity comes from loading the pars region directly through the combined demand of trunk extension and unilateral stance. By contrast, the slump test targets neural tension, Kemp's test stresses facet joints and potential nerve root irritation through extension and axial loading, and the straight-leg raise isolates neural tension along the sciatic pathway. Therefore, the Stork standing test is the most appropriate choice for screening pars interarticularis stress injury.