Spurling’s Test

Published July 2, 2026 Read time 1 min read Readers 3
Spurling Test

What is the "Spurling’s Test" used for?

  • Musculoskeletal assessment of the cervical spine when looking for cervical nerve root compression causing Cervical Radiculopathy

How to perform the "Spurling’s Test"?

  1. The patient is seated and asked to sidebend and slightly rotate head to the painful side.
  2. The clinician places a compressive force of approximately 7 kg through the top of the head in an effort to further narrow the intervertebral foramen.

What is the positive result?

  • The test is considered positive when it reproduces the patient’s symptoms. The test is not indicated if the patient does not have upper extremity or scapular region symptoms.

Test Accuracy

  • Sensitivity: 50 %
  • Specificity: 86 %

References

  • Clinical Tests for the Musculoskeletal System 3rd Edition.
  • Dutton’s Orthopaedic Examination, Evaluation, And Intervention 3rd Edition.