What finding is most likely with low back pain without radiculopathy?

In cases of low back pain without radiculopathy, palpitating the paraspinal muscles often reveals discomfort or tenderness. This finding is aligned with the common characteristics of muscular issues or mechanical back pain, which typically do not involve nerve root irritation or injury, as would be indicated by radiculopathy.

The discomfort experienced upon palpation of the paraspinal muscles suggests that there may be muscle strain, tension, or irritation contributing to the back pain. In such instances, it is common for patients to have localized pain rather than pain radiating down the leg, which typically indicates nerve involvement.

While finding relief with lumbar flexion may occur in some cases of low back pain, it could also vary among individuals. A positive straight leg raise test is more indicative of radiculopathy, thus would not apply in cases without it. Similarly, abnormal lower extremity deep tendon reflexes would suggest a neurological issue, such as nerve root involvement, which again does not pertain to low back pain without radiculopathy.