Test library › Low back & pelvis
Kemp's / lumbar quadrant test
For: Facet joint pain
Pain from the facet joints, the small paired joints at the back of each level of the spine. No single pattern reliably identifies it, though pain on leaning backwards and twisting is often attributed to it.
A weak test on its ownLikelihood ratios as published by the review (Table 3, double diagnostic blocks).
What the numbers mean
- Positive result: points slightly the wrong way: a positive result makes the diagnosis a little less likely.
- Negative result: points slightly the wrong way: a negative result makes the diagnosis a little more likely.
Source
Stuber K, Lerede C, Kristmanson K, Sajko S, Bruno P. The diagnostic accuracy of the Kemp's test: a systematic review. J Can Chiropr Assoc. 2014;58(3):258–267. PubMed · systematic review
Figures as they will appear in Rule It In, Rule It Out (Trokos, forthcoming). If a newer or better study changes them, this page changes with the book. Figures last updated from the book on 2 October 2026.
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This page gives the published figures. Rule It In, Rule It Out adds how to do this test, what counts as positive, how to read the result, and, where studied, whether combining it with other tests helps.
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