This video is a demonstration of the Prone Knee Bend Test. The Prone Knee Bend Test is a neural tension test where the purpose is to stress the femoral nerve and the mid lumbar nerve roots, specifically L2-L4, which allows us to screen for their sensitivity to stretch. A Prone Knee Bend, when positive could indicate a potential nerve root impingement.

With your patient to lying prone, first stabilize their pelvis to prevent it from anteriorly rotating. You will then maximally flex their knee to end range. If no positive signs are noted in this position, you will extend their hip while maintaining their knee in flexion. A positive finding would be the reproduction of your patient’s symptoms, this can mean pain in the groin, anterior or posterior thigh, buttocks or lumbar region or while the knee is brought into flexion between 80 and 100 degrees.

To differentiate between a positive finding due to a disc herniation or a quad problem in the Prone Knee Bend Test, we have to look at the range at which the patient is reporting the reproduction of symptoms because the dura is tensioned between 80 and 100 degrees, so positive findings at this range is likely from a disc herniation rather than from a quadricep problem. If pain is produced before 80 degrees of knee flexion, quad tightness and/or injury may more likely be the underlying cause for your patient’s pain.

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