The Heel Drop Test

The Heel Drop Test

I learnt this one from Stuart McGill. It is hypothesized that if the heel drop test reproduces the patients? low back pain, it may provide a clue that compressive forces may be an aggravating factor …consider stabilization, taping or traction!

Ask the patient to go up on to the ball of their feet and quickly drop on to their heels. An aggressive rigid drop can produce a lumbar compression force up to 3x their body weight.

Repeat the drop, but this time brace with the abs or exaggerate lordosis, or use a lumbar corset.

This simple test can be very clinically valuable!

Posted on: January 26, 2010

Categories: Lumbar Spine