5th heel (heel) reflex (Bechtereva reflex). This is a reflex that is often found in patients suffering from ankylosing spondylitis. It involves increased muscle tone in the lower back, as well as the heel and plantar surface of the foot, causing a feeling of stiffness in these areas. This reflex can also lead to pain in the heel, foot, lower back and hip.
Ankylosing spondylitis is often characterized as a sedentary disease or systemic arthritis that affects the joints. One of the symptoms of the disease is increased tone in the muscles, including the muscles of the back and the heel and soles of the feet. This can lead to a false sense of stiffness in these areas, as well as causing pain in the feet, legs, hips and lower back.
Signs of this reflex are manifested by an increase in muscle tone in the legs, heels and feet. This can be caused by various reasons, such as general disorders in the body, for example, infections in the lumbar region, arthritis, injuries in the foot or leg area, skeletal deformities,