{"id":11167,"date":"2022-07-28T16:26:06","date_gmt":"2022-07-28T14:26:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/?post_type=wiki&p=11167"},"modified":"2022-07-28T16:26:06","modified_gmt":"2022-07-28T14:26:06","slug":"reflex-testing-upper-limb","status":"publish","type":"wiki","link":"https:\/\/www.physiotutors.com\/wiki\/reflex-testing-upper-limb\/","title":{"rendered":"Reflex Testing Upper Limb"},"featured_media":11169,"template":"","class_list":["post-11167","wiki","type-wiki","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":{"sections":[{"acf_fc_layout":"page-header-detail-page","background":{"background_image":11169,"background_image_alt_text":"Reflex Testing Upper Limb"},"heading":"Reflex Testing Upper Limb | Peripheral Neurological Examination","subheading":"Cervical Spine Assessment","content_editor":"","button_type":"internal_link","button_label":"Check our shop","button_style":"button-five","button_internal_link":4646,"button_anchor":"","button_url":"","button_file":"","label":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"submenu","links":[{"button_type":"anchor","button_label":"Learn","button_internal_link":null,"button_anchor":"section-number-3","button_url":"","button_file":null},{"button_type":"anchor","button_label":"Assessment E-Book","button_internal_link":null,"button_anchor":"section-number-4","button_url":"","button_file":null},{"button_type":"anchor","button_label":"Reviews","button_internal_link":null,"button_anchor":"section-number-5","button_url":"","button_file":null}],"dropdown_label":"Go to","button_right":{"button_type":"internal_link","button_label":"Become a member","button_style":"button-three","button_internal_link":16662,"button_anchor":"","button_url":"","button_file":""},"button_description":"Find this wiki on the Physiotutors platform"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content-content","section_options":{"vertical_alignment":"top","column_right_box":false,"column_left_width":"col-12 col-lg-4 offset"},"column_left":{"content_editor":"

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Upper Limb Reflex Testing | Peripheral Neurological Examination<\/h2>\nReflex assessment is an essential part of neurological examination when suspecting radiculopathy as abnormal deep tendon reflexes may help you identify the pathological disc level.\n<\/span>in their systematic review from 2017,\u00a0 Lemeunier et al<\/a>. report that a complete peripheral neurological examination when suspecting cervical radiculopathy has a sensitivity of 83% and specificity of 28%. The positive and negative likelihood ratios were 1.15 and 0.6 respectively, which is why we attribute this assessment a rather weak clinical value but it is\u00a0 still the best tool we have.<\/span>\n\nThe most important upper extremity reflexes are the biceps tendon reflex for levels C5, C6 and the triceps tendon reflex for level C7.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\n\nYou can grade the reflex according to a commonly used 5 grade scale:\u00a0<\/span>\n\n0=<\/span> no response, which is always abnormal<\/span>\n\n1+=<\/span> slight but definitely present response, which may or may not be normal\u00a0<\/span>\n\n2+=<\/span> brisk response, which is usually considered normal<\/span>\n\n3+=<\/span> very brisk response, which may or may not be normal<\/span>\n\n4+=<\/span> clonus, which is always abnormal<\/span>\n
\n\n[embed]https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=FZsexSwddc0[\/embed]\n\n<\/div>\nBiceps Reflex: 24% Sn, 95% Sp<\/b>\n\nWith the patient in a recumbent position, slightly flex the forearm, palpate the biceps tendon and apply a brisk tap to it using a reflex hammer.\u00a0<\/span>\n\nTriceps reflex:<\/b>\n\nBring the patient's arm into slight abduction and with the relaxed forearm hanging freely. To elicit the triceps reflex, tap the tendon at the proximal to the olecranon.<\/span>\n\n \n\n[cta]\n\n \n\nOther parts of the neurological examination of the upper limb are:\n