Positive Babinski

[spifflication]

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[Ledco15]

unlucky doc you now have to tell this person they will be paralized for the rest of their life

[Synesen]

There is no Babinski positive (or negetive, by the way).

If the biggest toe extends (slowly), it's the Babiski Sign. It's just a minor correction ;)

[Defender78]

what does a negative Babinski sign look like>

[ferkinskin]

Do it on your own foot...if it doesn't do that it's negative.

[Mamboro17]

In healthy individuals, the toes will move downwards in stead of upwards.

[guitarobsessed85]

@Mamboro17 What's strange is that I've done this to 10 people and all of them moved their toes and their foot up. I moved my own up, though since I knew what it was my results may have been thrown. None of the people I tested knew what a normal response was though.

[freddyduranb]

all the toes have an anterior (down) flexion, that´s normal.

[caballeroinex]

That foot looks like dead...

[sgunesadu1]

nice ı will try in exam tomorrow that

[jxroq]

he does show slight withdrawal..but the big toe does go up and his other toes fanned. usually only the big toe goes up.obvious fanning isn't as common.

[babuarun]

the interpretation is bit ambiguous.. its not classical babinski... there is some withdrawal component also...

[videorehab]

Again, the cell phone camera does not do this justice. I wish I had done a few "takes" since I think the patient was also kinda wondering why we were so interested in his foot and what it was doing. The withdrawal was probably from irritation to his foot and because we had tested him several times before thinking to video it.

[babuarun]

this is called Positive babinski sign... when u stroke the lateral platar surface and if the great toe goes up... its called upgoing plantar... if upgoing plantar is associated with fanning out of other toes... then its called babinski's sign... as seen in this video...this sign becomes positive in more severe UMN lesions..lesion need not be only in spinal cord...it can be anywhere from the cerebral cortex to spinal cord....

[mephis]

Can you do this test alone?

[q8master123]

let some 1 rubb the lateral side of your feet ... youre fingers should come together and youll flex your feet.. this is normal

the guy`s reflex (on the video) is highly abnormal and is usually caused by spinal cord leesion (UMN)

[5pr1tz3r]

babinski sign is suppose to be present or absent

[videorehab]

I prefer to describe what the person does because there is no ambiguity as to what another examiner should find on their physical exam.

[videorehab]

You can then reserve your "present or absent" for the assessment with the integration of your history for a final impression. For instance: "Given the patient's history of a recent motor vehicle accident with neck hyperextension, and the presence of an upper motor neuron sign on physical exam (the present/positive Babinski sign) and the MRI findings, it would appear the patient has significant..."

[jzc17]

@videorehab I have found that "present or absent" leads to more confusion. Does present mean that there is a normal downgoing reflex or that pathology is present. Much clearer to say upgoing or downgoing.

[videorehab]

@jzc17 I actually always report in my documentation "upgoing" or "downgoing" because of this very reason. For a title for the video, a title people would more likely find made more sense to me at the time.

[q8master123]

absent

[jinjukazooie]

It's often not actually referred to as 'Babkinski's Sign', and a lot of neurologists will get really irritated if you refer to it as that. Every consultant I was under during neurology said 'Plantar Reflex', which is then either upgoing or downgoing. Downgoing is normal, except in neonates where upgoing is normal, and upgoing plantars in an adult signifies an UMN lesion, or someone in the late, terminal stages of a neurodegenerative disease like Alzheimer's.

[videorehab]

Like so many things in medicine there is variation based on where you practice. In the USA, at least on the West Coast, every neurologist I know doesn't mind, and often uses the term "Babinski Sign." It really does depend where you practice, and how and where you are trained. Even surgical technique, and the training methods for residents differ from region to region in the USA. But the ultimate question: is it colour, or color? Harbour or harbor? Toe-mah-toe or toe-may-toe? :)

[Azorka82]

Thanks for pointing that out, there being a difference in terminology usage. Practically speaking though I've found 'Babinski's Sign' more often than 'Plantar Reflex' in journals online. I've been getting it lately, foot spasms, toes fan out, curl upward. Probably due to spinal cord/brain lesions? Diagnosed with Lyme disease 6/14/02. Still unsure if it's disseminated Borrelia or antibiotic (doxycycline) induced lupus [since doxy crosses blood brain barrier]. See my personal profile for more...

[chiropractormom]

Actually, if you want to get really technical, the plantar reflex is a superficial reflex of the first sacral

dermatome, with the receptor nerve endings being located in the skin on the sole of the foot. The afferent fibres travel in the tibial nerve which is a branch of the sciatic nerve, to relay in the L4-5 to S1-2 cord segments. The Babinski sign is a Pathological response to the eliciation of the plantar reflex.

[Azorka82]

Thanks....have read somewhere before it is a sign of spinal cord involvement. But (as explained below), unsure what is causing mine. An ER doctor in South Lake Tahoe earlier this year confirmed the 2002 Lyme diagnosis (tick bite; ten days later EM rash; 6/14/02). That it's chronic Lyme. But most doctors say it isn't. IDSA vs. ILADS. I don't know what to believe. Have limited knowledge other than positive serology in 2004 (Lyme) and that it is increasingly debilitating. See my personal profile.

[mello57]

I have cervial myelopathy and I think I test the same but I have also Complex Regional Pain Syndrome to complicate matters! Please more information anyone. The USA is so far ahead in these areas.

UK Manchester

[DJSkogga]

If there is no reflex at all?

[videorehab]

Then... I guess you could call it either equivocal or not upgoing, but if you have other clinical suspicions for upper motor neuron disease or imaging that shows likely upper motor neuron problems (MS, cervical stenosis, etc), then, perhaps it is just a false negative.

[speedl3]

that cant be good , right ?

[videorehab]

Upper motor neuron sign like that... uhh... that would be a no.

[pelotillox]

It´s good in a new born but in adults it may mean a patological state (hope I´m accurate in the language cuz I´m spanish...)

[videorehab]

Yes, in babies up to one year old upgoing toes can be a normal finding. After that (ie, adults), you should start looking for something.

[PrinceOfKombat]

is it a girl or guy?

[videorehab]

It is a guy. Thanks for asking and viewing.