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[-] Lumidaub@feddit.org 14 points 1 week ago

Does this actually do anything? The maybe handful of times a doctor did this to me, I don't think anything moved at all but they're always like, "yup, everything's good, moving on." Am I weird and doctors are intimidated by the weirdness, so much so that they ignore it, or did cartoons give me unrealistic expectations for the effect this has on a leg?

[-] NeatNit@discuss.tchncs.de 34 points 1 week ago

Are you sure nothing moved? Perhaps they saw a twitch that was enough to confirm for them?

I can easily cause this reflex to myself.

[-] Lumidaub@feddit.org 9 points 1 week ago

That's what I'm telling myself but everything I read about it suggests there should be very visible movement of the lower leg. Idk, I'll have to remember to ask next time.

[-] Duranie@leminal.space 16 points 1 week ago

The lower leg moving would be an obvious sign, but they may be watching above the knee (where the muscle is actually contracting to create that movement) for even a twitch. Even absent that, without other symptom complaints they may just not be holding much weight with that one test. If you came in complaining you recently started dropping things, tripping, or injured yourself in a fall, that would carry more weight.

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this post was submitted on 25 Jan 2026
522 points (99.2% liked)

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