"Plantar Reflex" at Wikipedia

[somebody231]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plantar_reflex

Now that's odd... They don't use the word tickling, but they refer to it:

The medial side of the sole of the foot is rubbed with a sharp or hard implement (usually a series of pinpricks or the tip of a tendon hammer), running from the heel along a curve to the metatarsal pads. It is an unpleasant sensation for most.

^^Tickling? :happy: continues...

There are roughly three responses possible:

* Flexor: the toes curve inwards and the foot everts; this is the response seen in healthy adults. This is not a reflex; it is under voluntary control.
* Indifferent: there is no response (sometimes a feature of peripheral neuropathy).
* Extensor: the hallux (large toe) extends upwards, and the other toes to a lesser extent; this response is Babinski's sign.

I really dig the "Extensor" , where the toes curl upwards... but... LISTEN TO THIS! 🙄 :

The extensor response can indicate damage of the spinal cord in the thoracal or lumbar region, or brain disease

---> WTF? 😀

----------------------------
http://www.whonamedit.com/synd.cfm/366.html
(The wikipedia material is based on that page)
"A pathological reflex where the great toe extends and flexes toward the top of the foot and the other toes fan out when the sole of the foot is firmly stroked"
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[F.L. Atlanta 10]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plantar_reflex

Now that's odd... They don't use the word tickling, but they refer to it:


^^Tickling? :happy: continues...



I really dig the "Extensor" , where the toes curl upwards... but... LISTEN TO THIS! 🙄 :


---> WTF? 😀

----------------------------
http://www.whonamedit.com/synd.cfm/366.html
(The wikipedia material is based on that page)
"A pathological reflex where the great toe extends and flexes toward the top of the foot and the other toes fan out when the sole of the foot is firmly stroked"
----------------------------------

Why do you think that doctor's test that reflex on patients who have been in a serious auto accident?

 

[Camel26]

We had to do that to eachother in class...Babinski tests...I guess being ticklish means you can still feel, and that means your nerves are ok...so really, you're only touching the bottom of the foot to check nerve conduction...yeah...nerve conduction...😛

 

[somebody231]

We had to do that to eachother in class...Babinski tests...I guess being ticklish means you can still feel, and that means your nerves are ok...so really, you're only touching the bottom of the foot to check nerve conduction...yeah...nerve conduction...😛

since you put it that way, I have a "nerve conduction fetish", lol :happy:
Everytime I'd like to tickle a girl's foot I'll just say I'll do a nerve conduction check-up for her own good. 😀 😀

 

[somebody231]

Why do you think that doctor's test that reflex on patients who have been in a serious auto accident?

Not to be offensive or anything, but I didn't quite mean that?
I know it checks if your reflexes still work, but why on Earth would the "extensor" (toes pull back up) mean spinal cord or whatever damage or brain decease? That's what I'm interested in 😱

I mean lots of people pull their toes back when tickled... 😱 sounds just ... weird 😛

 

[Camel26]

most people scrunch their toes when they are tickled...and the test is not technically one to determine ticklishness (sorry to disappoint)--it's to determine if the reflex is still present...and if there is nerve damage, the extensor response is the result...

😀 😀 😀

Gotta love PT school...learning craziness like this makes it all worthwhile...😛

 

[somebody231]

yea, but people can still technically do the "extensor" just out of ticklishness I suppose? :happy:

 

[morpheus_10241]

yea, but people can still technically do the "extensor" just out of ticklishness I suppose? :happy:

Well, from what I read, I think it works like this:
The body has some primitive reflexes, that doesn't need the brain to execute (like cough, vomit, etc). The Babinski sign represent what our body would do in a somewhat "animal" state, without a conscious brain control.
A normal person, with conscious control over his/her limbs, would curl his/her toes, making use of the cerebral cortex to do it. So, it's human brain first, uncontrolled reflexes later (like it should be 😀).
Anyone with enough nervous damage wouldn't be able to control consciously his/her limbs, so the reflex comes first, making it a useful diagnostic.
The wiki mentions that little babies present the Babinski sign because their nervous system isn't fully functional yet (they react first by reflex, then slowly the brain comes in and the conscious reaction get executed).

Cheers,

 

[F.L. Atlanta 10]

Not to be offensive or anything, but I didn't quite mean that?
I know it checks if your reflexes still work, but why on Earth would the "extensor" (toes pull back up) mean spinal cord or whatever damage or brain decease? That's what I'm interested in 😱

I mean lots of people pull their toes back when tickled... 😱 sounds just ... weird 😛

honestly, i don't know if there is a connection to 'pulling back of toes' and 'brain damage or disease'. Toe curling or pulling back is just a reaction to being tickled.

 

[morpheus_10241]

Of course, both are reactions. But pulling back it's a primitive reaction, taht doesn't uses your brain, and toe curling is a conscious one. If your nervous system is damaged, you can't control your limbs adequately, so you can't exert a conscious reaction as it should be expected. So, its a valid diagnostic technique.

 

[Cbarton]

It's a response of the autonomic part of the nervous system, the same part the keeps you breathing and and your heart beating. It happens whether you're awake or not, therfore making it a great diagnostic tool

 

[kimbubbly]

hey does it matter really lol you are all taking it alittle too serious lol but thinking about it i curl my feet and point them up so sometimes i must be ok and other times i must have brain damage lol now thats funny!

 

[somebody231]

kimbuddly: my thoughts exact! 😀

 

[tickleking]

Keep in mind that it is from a wiki site, which means the content is
"editable". Maybe we should change it to something like the following...

There are roughly three responses possible:

* Flexor: the toes curve inwards and the foot everts; this is the response seen in healthy adults. This is not a reflex; it is under voluntary control.
* Indifferent: there is no response (sometimes a feature of peripheral neuropathy).
* Extensor: the hallux (large toe) extends upwards, and the other toes to a lesser extent; this response is Babinski's sign, usually accompanied by hysterical laughter. This effect can be enhanced with long fingernails.

LOL!!!

Regards,

TK

 

[fixlungs]

My God, when we studied neurological disorders in med school 15 years ago, there was less talk about about this! When there is brain injury, usually a closed head injury, a Babinski's sign being present is a factor in the diagnosis--- rember, it is opposite for infants however. Still, you gotta love the discussions posted here!

 

[Camel26]

I know...we spent all of half an hour on it in PT school--the professor showed us on one of my classmates, showed a bunch of other diagnostic techniques, and then we spent the other 25 minutes trying everything out on one another!

It's not really about taking anything too seriously, folks...it's about facts...and what Ky and Morpheus said are what it is...it's NOT used for tickling people--by the time they actually use the babinski on an adult, they are usually unconscious...sorry to burst your bubble, but you've got healthcare professionals telling you what's up, and information from a less than reliable source such as Wikipedia...I'd go with the healthcare professionals and, IMHO, not put them down for being accurate or realistic...

 

[XxMystxX]

So, having just sat and watched my entire collection of 'professional' tickling videos, i've come to a very interesting conclusion. Every one of these girls is suffering from nerve damage! Holy hell! It's a pandemic!

Well 'least you can consider it a fine way to determine whether or not someone is faking; as we'd (according to this thread) naturally scrunch our toes. XD