@themedical_lounge: Kernig’s sign-> one of the classic bedside tests for meningitis, and a genuinely clever piece of clinical reasoning once you understand what it’s actually testing. Flex the hip and knee to ninety degrees, then extend the knee: pain or resistance is a positive sign. The reason it works comes down to anatomy. When the meninges are inflamed, whether by infection or blood from a subarachnoid haemorrhage, they become sensitive to stretch. The nerve roots and sciatic nerve run one continuous line from the spinal cord, through the meninges and down the back of the thigh, so extending the knee pulls on that whole tract and tugs the inflamed meninges. The hamstrings then reflexively contract to guard against the movement, and that’s the resistance you feel. It isn’t a stiff joint, it’s the nervous system protecting inflamed tissue from stretch. We also have 2x live webinars coming up in July 1️⃣ Acute coronary syndrome 2️⃣ Prehospital care in mass casualty incidents Link in bio If you’re an NQP or about to become one we’ve put together an NQP guide Link in bio Learn. Adapt. Respond #paramedic #studentparamedic #meningitis #jrcalc #emschat

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Monday 06 July 2026 20:15:33 GMT