Why do doctors use tendon hammers to test reflexes and not just the side of their palms?
In: Biology
The palm is too soft. Need pinpoint and focused impact on tendon. The hammer is better at providing this.
I’d guess because the hammer is a standard weight/size and sides of palms are not. With practice It’d be easier to hit the sweet spot with just the right amount of force.
So I actually don’t use the tendon hammer 99% of the time. I’m just checking patellar reflexes? Just use my fingertips like little mini-hammers. The hammer does work better on other areas.
Same reason a car mechanic uses a wrench. You can undo a nut with just your fingers, sure, but 10 of them? I’d rather use a specialized tool. The hammer is the specialized tool for testing reflexes.
We also test for more reflexes than just patelar; it’d be harder to elicit a reflex response from your ankle or wrists with just my hands, so I’ll just use my hammer instead.
Accuracy and consistency
Like why use a ruler when you have a hand you can use to measure things
It’s too broad and soft to get an accurate test. It might work on some people, but it won’t on others and you’ll get a misleading exam result. You don’t need a reflex hammer though, you just need something long and flat/firm enough to properly contact the tendon. I’ve used the rim of my stethoscope a number of times, or even my phone once.
As someone who knows nothing about this, the obvious answer is that there is variability in the sides of human palms and there is no/minimal variability in tendon hammers.
I just tap for reflexes but in my work I look for symmetry in the common reflexes and hyperreflexia on provocative testing. I guess the real reason is I forget to take out of my bag and I don’t wear a white coat in clinic. So that’s why for me
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