FAU Advanced Health Assessment Practice Test

Which sign would you expect to find with a positive Kernig's sign?

1. Resistance to knee extension

2. Involuntary flexion of the knee

3. Inability to touch chin to chest

4. Increased muscle tone

The correct answer is: Resistance to knee extension

A positive Kernig's sign is characterized by resistance to knee extension when the hip is flexed at 90 degrees. This sign is commonly associated with meningeal irritation, often seen in conditions such as meningitis. When a clinician flexes the leg at the knee and hip, a positive result occurs if the patient experiences pain or resists further extension of the knee due to discomfort, indicating irritation of the meninges or related structures. The other signs mentioned do not correlate with Kernig's sign. Involuntary flexion of the knee is more representative of Brudzinski's sign, which relates to neck flexion triggering knee and hip flexion. The inability to touch the chin to the chest suggests neck stiffness related to meningitis but is not a direct sign of Kernig's. Increased muscle tone may be present in various neurological conditions but is not a defining feature of Kernig's sign itself. Thus, resistance to knee extension is the most expected finding associated with a positive Kernig's sign.