Schaeffer's sign
Encyclopedia
Schaeffer's sign is a clinical sign
in which squeezing the Achilles tendon
elicits an extensor plantar reflex
. It is found in patients with pyramidal tract
lesions, and is one of a number of Babinski-like responses.
The sign takes its name from the German
neurologist
Max Schaeffer (1852-1923).
Medical sign
A medical sign is an objective indication of some medical fact or characteristic that may be detected by a physician during a physical examination of a patient....
in which squeezing the Achilles tendon
Achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon , also known as the calcaneal tendon or the tendo calcaneus, is a tendon of the posterior leg. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius and soleus muscles to the calcaneus bone.- Anatomy :The Achilles is the tendonous extension of 3 muscles in the lower leg:...
elicits an extensor plantar reflex
Plantar reflex
The plantar reflex is a reflex elicited when the sole of the foot is stimulated with a blunt instrument. The reflex can take one of two forms. In normal adults the plantar reflex causes a downward response of the hallux...
. It is found in patients with pyramidal tract
Corticospinal tract
The corticospinal or pyramidal tract is a collection of axons that travel between the cerebral cortex of the brain and the spinal cord....
lesions, and is one of a number of Babinski-like responses.
The sign takes its name from the German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
neurologist
Neurologist
A neurologist is a physician who specializes in neurology, and is trained to investigate, or diagnose and treat neurological disorders.Neurology is the medical specialty related to the human nervous system. The nervous system encompasses the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. A specialist...
Max Schaeffer (1852-1923).