Test: Dermatome Assessment - L5

Video Link

Background/Purpose

Dermatome assessment involves the clinician performing light touch or pin prick on a area or areas of the skin innervated a particular spinal nerve root. There is some variability in the distribution of nerve segments to different skin surfaces but there is some degree of typical responses.

Procedure

Clinician performs a light touch (light stroke) on the lateral and/or posterior calf. If light touch is indeterminate, it may be helpful to use a pin prick. The sensation is graded 0-2 with ‘2’ representing normal sensation, ‘1’ representing impairment, and ‘0’ representing absent sensation. A grade of 0 or 1 represents a failed test.
Performed: Unilaterally

Dialog

Light touch or pin prick dermatome assessment.

Criteria

• Normal senation

Measurement

0.00

LOINC Code

0

Scale/Grading

Pass/Fail