Schober Sign

What is the "Schober Sign" used for?

• Measures the range of motion of the lumbar spine.
• This can be useful in examining a patient suspected of ankylosing spondylitis.

How to perform the "Schober Sign"?

• The patient is standing. 
• The examiner marks the skin above the S1 spinous process and a point 10 cm superior to it. 
• These skin markings move up to about 15 cm apart in flexion and converge to a distance of 7 to 9 cm in maximum extension (leaning backward).

What is the positive result?

• Degenerative inflammatory processes in the spine restrict spinal mobility and hence the range of motion of the spinous processes.

References

• Clinical Tests for the Musculoskeletal System 3rd Edition.