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Homan's sign
System: Blood & Lymph Signs · All blood & lymph signs
What it is — and how it is elicited
Pain in the calf when the foot is forcibly bent upward (dorsiflexed) with the knee straight.
What a positive finding suggests
Traditionally associated with deep vein thrombosis of the calf, but it is unreliable — it is often present without a clot and absent with one — so modern diagnosis relies on scoring systems, D-dimer and ultrasound.
◈ Behind the name
John Homans (1877–1954), American surgeon.
Related signs — Blood & Lymph Signs
Browse the H section of the A–Z list or return to the Clinical Signs hub.
Please note: This page is an educational reference about clinical examination signs. A clinical sign supports — and never replaces — a full clinical evaluation, examination and appropriate testing. A sign being present does not by itself prove a diagnosis, and an absent sign does not rule one out. If you have symptoms that worry you, see a health professional.