Define Upgoing Plantar

Upgoing plantar is a foot condition that regularly afflicts babies under one year of age but also appears in adults. The condition can affect one or both feet.

Identification

• "Plantar" is a term referring to the soles of the feet and originates from the Latin word "planta."

Description

• Upgoing plantar is temporarily exhibited when your big toe extends upward while the remaining toes simultaneously spread apart when an object is stroked along the lateral side of the sole of your foot.

Causes

• Permanent upgoing plantar response is often caused by nerve conditions related to lesions of a motor neuron, the spinal cord or cerebrum.

Babinski Sign

• Positive Babinski Sign is another medical term used to describe upgoing plantar.

History

• In 1903, neurologist Dr. Joseph Babinski became the first to address permanent foot conditions involving spreading of the toes and upward extension of the large toe. The symptoms came to be called the "Babinski sign" and later, upgoing plantar.