Hoover's sign (leg paresis)
Hoover's Sign (Leg Paresis)
Hoover's Sign (pronounced: hoo-verz sign), is a physical examination finding that is useful for distinguishing between organic and functional leg paresis. It was named after Charles Franklin Hoover, an American internist who first described the sign in 1908.
Etymology
The term "Hoover's Sign" is derived from the name of its discoverer, Dr. Charles Franklin Hoover. The term "paresis" is derived from the Greek word "πάρεσις" (paresis), meaning "letting go" or "paralysis".
Definition
Hoover's Sign is a clinical sign found in patients with hysteria or conversion disorder, where the patient exhibits weakness or paralysis in one leg, but no physiological cause can be found. The sign is positive when, as the patient attempts to raise the "paralyzed" leg, the examiner feels increased downward pressure on the hand placed under the normal leg.
Related Terms
- Conversion Disorder: A mental condition in which a person has blindness, paralysis, or other nervous system (neurologic) symptoms that cannot be explained by medical evaluation.
- Hysteria: A psychological disorder whose symptoms include conversion of psychological stress into physical symptoms (somatization), selective amnesia, shallow volatile emotions, and overdramatic or attention-seeking behavior.
- Physical Examination: A routine test your doctor performs to check your overall health.
- Leg Paresis: Partial or mild paralysis affecting the leg.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Hoover's sign (leg paresis)
- Wikipedia's article - Hoover's sign (leg paresis)
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