What it means
A physical exam test for irritation of the meninges, the membranes around the brain and spinal cord. The client lies on the back with the hip and knee each bent to 90 degrees, and the examiner tries to straighten the knee. Pain in the back or hamstring, or resistance to straightening, is a positive sign. It is a classic finding in meningitismen-in-JY-tisInflammation of the meninges, the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord.mening/o meninges-itis inflammationFull entry , often checked with the Brudzinski signbroo-JIN-skee syneA test in which bending a client's neck forward makes the hips and knees bend on their own.Full entry . It is named after Vladimir Kernig, a physician in St. Petersburg.
Remember it
Kernig: Knee. Both start with K.
At a glance
| Also written | Kernig's sign, Kernig’s sign |
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Related terms
meningitis
Inflammation of the meninges, the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord.
Brudzinski sign
A test in which bending a client's neck forward makes the hips and knees bend on their own.