Rey was being evaluated for a possible spinal cord injury during a college football game. The team physician stroked the sole of Rey's foot, and his toes curled. This observation suggests that
A) Rey has a serious spinal cord injury that might affect his future mobility.
B) Rey has a mild spinal cord injury, and with proper treatment, he should recover completely.
C) Rey does not appear to have damaged his spinal cord, although this should be confirmed by further testing.
D) Rey's spinal cord is probably all right, but it appears that he has sustained damage to his foot or ankle.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The physician's observation of Rey's toes curling after the sole of his foot is stroked is known as the Babinski reflex, which is a normal reflex in infants. However, in adults, it typically indicates damage to the pyramidal tract in the spinal cord. This does not necessarily mean that Rey has sustained a serious spinal cord injury, but further testing is necessary to confirm this.

Rey Was Being Evaluated for a Possible Spinal Cord Injury