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Kernig's sign
System: Neurological Signs · All neurological signs
What it is — and how it is elicited
With the patient lying down and the hip flexed, attempting to straighten the knee causes pain and resistance in the hamstrings.
What a positive finding suggests
Associated with irritation of the meninges, as in meningitis or subarachnoid haemorrhage.
◈ Behind the name
Vladimir Kernig (1840–1917), Russian physician who described it while working in St Petersburg.
Related signs — Neurological Signs
Browse the K 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.