The straight leg raise test is a common means of physical examination in orthopedics. It is usually seen in the examination of patients with sciatic nerve, lumbar disc herniation and lumbosacral radiculitis. The straight leg raise test is an indication of nerve root irritation. The straight leg raise test is performed with the patient lying on his or her back with both lower extremities straight. The physician places one hand on one of the patient’s knees to keep the patient’s lower extremities straight, and the other hand lifts the lower extremities. The patient’s ankle is passively dorsiflexed to increase the degree of sciatic nerve pull. If the patient has a herniated disc, then the nerve tugging pain will be significantly increased, which is what the straight leg raise enhancement test does. The straight leg raise strengthening test does not usually cause pain for lesions that are due to muscular or other factors.