Several types of reflexes can be tested as part of a physical examination and these all reveal something about the status of the elements of the nervous system that contribute to their functioning. They have been used for over a century as part of a routine neurological examination due to their safety, low cost, predictive value, and ability to be performed rapidly, even without specialized equipment.
This article will focus on the “deep tendon reflexes” which are more appropriately named — and will be referred to herein — as muscle stretch reflexes (MSR).
MSR grading is based on a clinician’s subjective evaluation of amplitude, with a wide range of what can be normal. They are particularly useful if there are asymmetric findings or if they occur in the context of other changes; isolated hyper or hypo reflexic MSR without other findings is generally not considered pathological. There are 6 MSR that are commonly tested and will be the focus of this article: biceps, triceps, brachioradialis, knee, ankle, and jaw jerk.
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