A METHOD OF MEASURING REFLEX TIMES APPLIED IN SCIATICA AND OTHER CONDITIONS DUE TO NERVE-ROOT COMPRESSION

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Abstract
Measurements were made of the reflex times for the ankle and knee jerks of normal controls and cases of nerve-root compression. Apparatus consisting of specially constructed percussion-hammer, surface electrodes and double-beam oscillograph yielded results with an experimental error of less than [plus or minus] 0.5 msec. Among 11 patients with nerve root compression, 5 of 7 with unilateral lesions showed 1-4 msec. delay and 2 of 4 with bilateral lesions showed delay on the side more severely affected. Alterations were most consistently obtained in compression of the 1st sacral nerve root. There was no correlation between the amt. of delay and the clinical assessment of the reflex.

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