What indicates a positive Goldthwait Test?

• A. Pain during hip abduction
• B. Pain in the lumbar spine during SLR
• C. Increased mobility in the hip joint
• D. No pain reported

Answer: (B)

A positive Goldthwait Test is indicated by pain in the lumbar spine during straight leg raise (SLR) testing. This test is used to differentiate between lumbar spine pathology and hip joint pathology. When the patient raises their leg while lying supine, if pain is experienced in the lower back before any pain arises in the leg, it suggests that the source of the pain is emanating from the lumbar spine rather than the hip. This is because the Goldthwait Test specifically assesses for issues such as herniated discs or other lumbar spine conditions that can cause referred pain into the lower extremities.

In contrast, if hip abduction causes pain or if there is increased mobility in the hip joint, these findings would not support a positive Goldthwait Test, as they involve different structures—the hip joint rather than the lumbar spine. Similarly, a report of no pain does not indicate a positive test, but rather suggests that there might not be any underlying lumbar spine pathology affecting the patient.