Study design: Prospective observational study.
Objectives: The critical appraisal of the mannequin sign in the validation of patients with symptoms of sciatica.
Summary of background data: Sixty-five consecutive patients with magnetic resonance imaging-proven lumbar disc herniation and symptoms of sciatica. Mean patient age was 48 (range 28-62) years. Thirty-seven patients were male and 28 were female.
Methods: The mannequin sign is positive when a patient adopts an antalgic posture with the relevant lower limb flexed at the hip and knee with the pelvis tilting towards the affected side, in the classic manner of a mannequin's pose. Reproducibility of the sign was recorded when all patients were examined by a second clinician. Lumbar disc herniation with nerve root impingement was confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging.
Results: The mannequin sign had 100% reproducibility and 80% sensitivity in diagnosing lumbar disc herniations with nerve root impingement. Twenty-four patients had L4-L5 disc herniations and 41 had L5-S1 disc herniations.
Conclusion: Astute clinical examination can minimize inaccurate diagnosis, unnecessary investigations, and even inappropriate surgical intervention. The mannequin sign, first observed and anecdotally reported by the senior author (D.C.), has now been critically appraised.