Which of the following methods directly assesses radiculopathy?

• A. Lindner Sign
• B. Bragard Sign
• C. Well Leg Raise
• D. Bowstring Sign

Answer: (A)

Lindner Sign directly assesses radiculopathy by evaluating the presence of nerve root irritation, often associated with lumbar disc herniation. This test involves the clinician passively flexing the patient's neck, which can reflect pain or discomfort radiating into the lower extremities if there is nerve root involvement. The mechanism behind this is that flexing the neck can increase the pressure on affected nerve roots, mimicking the pain experienced during radiculopathy.

In contrast, Bragard Sign, Well Leg Raise, and Bowstring Sign are all tests that may provide information about the presence of nerve root involvement or sciatic nerve issues, but they do not directly assess the presence of radiculopathy in the same way that Lindner Sign does. The other tests focus on different aspects of lower back pain and are not as specific in directly assessing for radiculopathy, which primarily involves evaluating nerve root function and response in relation to spinal nerve irritation.