Radiculopathy due to lumbar disc herniation is defined by North American Spine Society as localized displacement of disc material beyond the normal margins of the intervertebral disc space resulting in pain, weakness, or numbness in a myotomal or dermatomal distribution. 95% of the lumbar disc herniation involves L4/5 and L5/S1 level, the latter being the commonest. Most people relate their back and leg pain to a traumatic incident as the pain is usually brought on by repetitive twisting, bending, or heavy lifting. Introductionīack pain in the third and fourth decade of life is frequently caused by lumbar disc herniation. Prolonged H-reflex latency was the commonest encountered abnormality in our study followed by F-wave latencies of the tibial nerve. Also, F-wave latencies (F minimum, F maximum, and F mean) of the tibial nerve were significantly prolonged ( ) compared to control. There was significant prolongation in H-reflex latency of both symptomatic and asymptomatic side in the patients group compared to the control group ( ). No significant difference was found in the motor nerve conduction study parameters (latency, amplitude, and conduction velocity) between the patients group and the control group. Motor nerve conduction study bilaterally for both common peroneal and tibial nerves, F-wave for both nerves, and H-reflex had been conducted. Twenty-five healthy subjects matched in age and sex served as control.

Twenty-seven patients with lumbosacral radiculopathy caused by L4/5 or L5/S1 intervertebral disc prolapse confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were recruited in the study. This study was conducted to evaluate nerve conduction studies abnormalities in patients with lumbosacral radiculopathy and to find out their relation to abnormal physical examination findings. There is contrasting evidence concerning the use of NCS in the assessment of patients with lumbosacral radiculopathy. Nerve conduction studies (NCS) are electrodiagnostic tests used to evaluate peripheral nerves functions and aid in the assessment of patients with neuromuscular complaints.

Nerve study on lower back