Pain and paresthesia (abnormal skin sensations), often succeeded by sensory loss, motor weakness, and loss of the reflexes, arising in the motor and sensory distribution of lumbar or sacral roots after the patient has walked some distance.

The neurologic signs, which are sometimes minimal but are accentuated by walking, are those of a cauda equina syndrome or a dull pain in the lower back and upper buttock region, analgesia in the buttocks, genitalia (or thigh), accompanied by a disturbance of bowel and bladder function.