Which statement about eliciting the Babinski reflex is correct?

Which statement about eliciting the Babinski reflex is correct?

• A. Stroke the lateral sole from the heel to the base of the toes
• B. Pinch the sole of the foot gently
• C. Touch the forehead to elicit a response
• D. Tap the knee to elicit a reflex

Answer: (A)

The Babinski reflex is elicited by stroking the sole of the foot along the lateral edge from the heel toward the base of the toes. This specific stroke activates the plantar reflex pathway; in adults, a normal response is toe flexion, while a positive Babinski (toe dorsiflexion with toe spreading) suggests corticospinal tract dysfunction. In newborns, a positive Babinski is common due to immature neural control and becomes abnormal later in life. The other actions don’t engage the same plantar reflex pathway: pinching the sole is a general nociceptive stimulus, not the specific plantar stimulation used to test the Babinski reflex; touching the forehead is not related to the foot reflex; tapping the knee triggers the patellar reflex, not the plantar response. Thus stroking the lateral sole from heel to toes is the correct method to elicit the Babinski reflex.

The Babinski reflex is elicited by stroking the sole of the foot along the lateral edge from the heel toward the base of the toes. This specific stroke activates the plantar reflex pathway; in adults, a normal response is toe flexion, while a positive Babinski (toe dorsiflexion with toe spreading) suggests corticospinal tract dysfunction. In newborns, a positive Babinski is common due to immature neural control and becomes abnormal later in life.

The other actions don’t engage the same plantar reflex pathway: pinching the sole is a general nociceptive stimulus, not the specific plantar stimulation used to test the Babinski reflex; touching the forehead is not related to the foot reflex; tapping the knee triggers the patellar reflex, not the plantar response. Thus stroking the lateral sole from heel to toes is the correct method to elicit the Babinski reflex.