8 replies to this topic

[McRobb]

Good evening from Iowa, USA. Had something happen a couple of weeks ago that took me by surprise and wondered if it happens to the rest of you out there.

Have been para for almost 7 years now and guess I just assumed that any startle reflex below my injury level was gone. Injury 7 - 9T, incomplete. Anyway, over the holiday, my family was here at my home and twice, a loud unexpected noise happened and I literally jumped in my wheel chair. I know that my legs and butt actually left the cushion because when I landed, I had to get rearranged in the chair.

I have been startled before but felt that my lower half just stayed there and did not move while the rest of my upper torso jumped. I assumed that the injury would prevent anything below the injury to not respond to that surprise but it certainly responded those two times.

Is a startle response located in a part of the lower spine and doesn not need to be connected to the brain to function? I know there are some sexual reflexes that do not need to travel to the brain to be activated but go to a place in the spine to trigger the reflex -of that kind. Do other reflexes function the same way? what has been your experience sinced your SCI?

Just curious...

[rue2you]

Well, I don't know all the medical about it - but I do know that it happens to me! My kids can slam a door and my legs will jump! Sometimes, it might just be the phone ringing when it is near me. If a noise startles me, then I jump!! I never told my PT about it because I thought he would think I was crazy. One day, my legs were spasming at therapy and he and I got to talking about spasming. My PT told me about a patient he had before that would spasm just at loud sounds. I said, "That happens to me but I never told you about it!!" He laughed and said, "No, it really happens to people. You are not alone." I still don't know why it happens but it does!!

New therapy - have people jump out and scare us all the time to get our muscles firing!!

[mcferguson]

I have been startled several times and, unfortunately, no reaction from anywhere below my injury level. Perhaps it has something to do with complete and incomplete.

[Iain]

McRobb, on 19 January 2011 - 12:58 AM, said:

Good evening from Iowa, USA. Had something happen a couple of weeks ago that took me by surprise and wondered if it happens to the rest of you out there.

Have been para for almost 7 years now and guess I just assumed that any startle reflex below my injury level was gone. Injury 7 - 9T, incomplete. Anyway, over the holiday, my family was here at my home and twice, a loud unexpected noise happened and I literally jumped in my wheel chair. I know that my legs and butt actually left the cushion because when I landed, I had to get rearranged in the chair.

I have been startled before but felt that my lower half just stayed there and did not move while the rest of my upper torso jumped. I assumed that the injury would prevent anything below the injury to not respond to that surprise but it certainly responded those two times.

Is a startle response located in a part of the lower spine and doesn not need to be connected to the brain to function? I know there are some sexual reflexes that do not need to travel to the brain to be activated but go to a place in the spine to trigger the reflex -of that kind. Do other reflexes function the same way? what has been your experience sinced your SCI?

Just curious...

Generally reflexes eg knee jerks etc all work at spinal segmental level, and so unless the spinal lesion is actually at the level involved in the reflex then the reflex is intact. Indeed, the brain generally damps down reflexes and so lower limb reflexes are actually often more prominent or brisk. This may be less obvious in people with long standing injuries, but simply because the muscles are weaker and don't respond so obviously

[edlee]

I tend to disagree. My doctor uses the LACK of reflex as a measuring tool involving degree of incompleteness ,, if you will. The striking with their small mallet on the knee,, lower abdenum,, pulling the handle along the bottom of the foot,, are all tests of the involuntary response,, ie.. reflex ,, system. If you are complete,, no reflex,, period.

Certainly nothing of an unfelt nature,, a sound,, a flash of light,,, could trigger any response below the injury level of a complete. The fact that if did for the OP indicates his status as an incomplete,, and ,, the opportunity for gain. One must look at the incident as a good sign,,, I certainly would.

I leave you,, reflexless,, as ever,,
ed

[Vonstar]

edlee, on 19 January 2011 - 08:58 PM, said:

I tend to disagree. My doctor uses the LACK of reflex as a measuring tool involving degree of incompleteness ,, if you will. The striking with their small mallet on the knee,, lower abdenum,, pulling the handle along the bottom of the foot,, are all tests of the involuntary response,, ie.. reflex ,, system. If you are complete,, no reflex,, period.

Certainly nothing of an unfelt nature,, a sound,, a flash of light,,, could trigger any response below the injury level of a complete. The fact that if did for the OP indicates his status as an incomplete,, and ,, the opportunity for gain. One must look at the incident as a good sign,,, I certainly would.

I leave you,, reflexless,, as ever,,
ed

[Travelling Blackbird]

The startle reflex isn't just connected with the part of the body that moves. You could think of it as the legs jerking when you're startled, but the legs may be following other movements by other large muscle groups. Effectively, any muscle can be "carried along" by a spasm elsewhere. For example, when the abdominal muscles suddenly and sharply contract, that can lift the buttocks or the thighs slightly.

I like the name "startle reflex". It'd be a good name for a band.

[Vonstar]

Would running a finger over the sole of a foot and getting a reaction count as possible recovery of foot function?

My husband has shattered his vertebrae at c5 but don't know the true extent of the damage to his spinal cord as he's yet to get his op (accident was 3 weeks ago).

[edlee]

It's called a plantar reflex,, and normally the toes curl down and bunch together,,, if they spread and curl up,, is called a Babinski response, and can indicate spinal cord damage or desease. No response at all generally indicates a complete lesion.
ed