Tendon reflex (or T-reflex) may refer to: *The

stretch reflex The stretch reflex (myotatic reflex), or more accurately "muscle stretch reflex", is a muscle contraction in response to stretching within the muscle. The reflex functions to maintain the muscle at a constant length. The term deep tendon reflex is ...

or muscle stretch reflex (MSR), when the stretch is created by a blow upon a muscle tendon. This is the commonly used definition of the term. Albeit a misnomer, in this sense a common example is the standard

patellar reflex The patellar reflex, also called the knee reflex or knee-jerk, is a stretch reflex which tests the L2, L3, and L4 segments of the spinal cord. Mechanism Striking of the patellar tendon with a reflex hammer just below the patella stretches the ...

or knee-jerk response. Stretch reflex tests are used to determine the integrity of the spinal cord and peripheral nervous system, and they can be used to determine the presence of a neuromuscular disease. ::Note that the term "deep tendon reflex", if it refers to the muscle stretch reflex, is a misnomer. "Tendons have little to do with the response, other than being responsible for mechanically transmitting the sudden stretch from the reflex hammer to the muscle spindle. In addition, some muscles with stretch reflexes have no tendons (e.g., "jaw jerk" of the masseter muscle)". *The Golgi tendon reflex, which is a reflex to extensive tension on a tendon; it functions to protect musculoskeletal integrity. The sensory receptors for this reflex are anatomically located deep in the tendon, while the sensory receptors for the MSR are inside the muscle. Therefore, the Golgi tendon reflex can be referred to as the deep tendon reflex.

Testing

As wrongfully referring to a muscle stretch reflex, to test the reflex, tap on the

tendon A tendon or sinew is a tough, high-tensile-strength band of dense fibrous connective tissue that connects muscle to bone. It is able to transmit the mechanical forces of muscle contraction to the skeletal system without sacrificing its ability ...

. In a healthy individual the intensity on both sides is equal. This means that the connections between the

spinal cord The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular structure made up of nervous tissue, which extends from the medulla oblongata in the brainstem to the lumbar region of the vertebral column (backbone). The backbone encloses the central canal of the sp ...

and the muscles are undamaged. Main spinal nerve roots involved: * Biceps (C5, C6) * Brachioradialis (C6) * Triceps (C7) * Patellar (L4) * Achilles tendon (S1)

Functions of Golgi tendon reflex

The Golgi tendon reflex is a response to extensive tension on a tendon.Saladin, Kenneth S. Anatomy & Physiology: the Unity of Form and Function. Dubuque: McGraw-Hill, 2012. Print. It helps avoid strong muscle contractions which could tear the tendon from either the muscle or bone. In sports, quick movements can damage the tendon before the reflex can occur. The tendon reflex also helps spread the workload more evenly over the entire muscle by preventing "muscle fibers connected with overstimulated tendon organs so that their contraction is more comparable to the contraction of the rest of the muscle."

References

External links

* * * {{Reflex Reflexes