Positive Babinski

This is a patient with a significantly positive Babinksi (upgoing toes) signifying upper motor neuron disease. This is a male patient. Sorry the cell phone camera doesn't do this justice.

Update: This patient has cervical spinal canal stenosis on MRI 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 cervical spinal cord and resolve some of his neck pain and radicular symptoms down the arms, and maybe the clonus and upgoing toes too.

**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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• Babinski

[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.

[spifflication]

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[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.

[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.

[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.

[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 ;)

[freddyduranb]

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

[Mamboro17]

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