tendon reflex
Hammer-tap leg kick
A tendon reflex is an involuntary muscle contraction triggered by tapping a tendon, which stretches the attached muscle and causes it to contract.
The knee-jerk reflex is the most familiar example—a tap below the kneecap causes the leg to kick.
Doctors test tendon reflexes to assess nervous system function: Her reflexes were normal.
- knee-jerkInstinctive and unconsidered
- knee jerk reactionAutomatic unthinking response
- patellarOf the kneecap
- hammerTool for striking nails
- rubber malletBouncy-headed striking tool
tap · stretch · muscle · twitch · spinal · spinal cord · neurological · involuntary · response · jolt · kick · stimulus · arc · sensory · motor · contraction · quadriceps · Achilles
tendon, reflex, tendons, tendinous, tendinitis, tendonitis, reflexes, reflexive, reflexively