Clonus

Significant and multiple beats of clonus in the left foot of a patient also found to have a positive Babinski (upgoing toes). This is a male patient. Sorry the cell phone camera doesn't do this justice.

Update (just before mid-2007): This patient has cervical spinal canal stenosis with myelopathy with subsequent upper motor neuron findings as you can see. He is scheduled for spine surgery to hopefully correct the compression of the spinal cord and resolve some of his neck pain and radicular symptoms.

**Update as of March 2008: This patient ultimately had significant cervical stenosis causing his upper motor neuron signs but did not have his operation (for various reasons which cannot be described to protect patient privacy). He fell, about a year after these videos, and suddenly could not move all 4 extremities. He was taken for emergent decompressive surgery for his cervical spinal cord. Despite rapid intervention, he is now suffering from a central cord syndrome: he can move his legs better than his arms, but in his case, he is functionally a tetraplegic (quadriplegic - the old term). See eMedicine.com for an article on central cord syndrome.

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• Clonus

[stujacks88]

my bad just realise who you were replying to. apologies. either way, clonus is still not just a medullary or brain lesion.

[stujacks88]

@laletemanolete Clonus can be caused by an upper motor neuron lesion. Upper motor neurons originate from the cerebrum and can extend to motor nuclei of the brainstem as well as down the spinal cord to all levels for synapse with a lower motor neuron. Therefore, a lesion caused by surgery; such as that of 95JayJay95 below, is very possible. Clonus is involuntary reflexive in origin - correct, but integration can occur within the spinal cord, i.e. the stretch reflex. The brain is not required.

[laletemanolete]

@ticklemebri33 You MUST have a brain study done! Clonus is a unvoluntary reflex that is present in people with medular and/or brain lessions... I don't want to scare you, but if you don't want to see worse consequences, go have a brain study NOW!

[95JayJay95]

Hey guys...i'm 15 now, but i've had clonus since i had surgery for my scholiosis when i was 6yrs old -- leaving me disabled from the waist down, i now walk with just a limp, but clonus is a prominent problem in my everyday life....i learned just stretching it -every- night and not getting nervous helps a ton. Remember that everything is okay and mentally stop and tell it to stop....works for me...yeah, sometimes i cant avoid it, but i hope my tips help you :/

-Josh

[ticklemebri33]

I was just told i have clonus they havent done anything about it yet. but its starting to make it hurt like the weird reflex happeneds when i run.. or even when i have my foot on the ground and something hevey hits the ground it happeneds is it possible to worsen?

[1dontcare2ok]

I have clonus. I was in the hospital for 12 days in two hospitals. I had a pinched off nerve cord that I havd for so many month I was walking with a walker for months before I had surgery.

[1dontcare2ok]

I also have clonus. I was in the hospital fo almost two weeks.  I had a pinched off spinal cord which I may have permanent damage but I am in theropy. So good luck to anyone that clonus.

[tasnim37]

thanx..

[Princali]

thanks