The Gordon reflex was also called the “paradoxical flexor reflex” when Dr. Alfred Gordon first demonstrated the reflex in 1904 at the Philadelphia Neurological Society. The reflex is a clinical sign that can be easily elicited without the use of any equipment. The Gordon reflex describes an extensor plantar response when the calf muscle is squeezed. The Gordon reflex is very simple to complete and can be of use in determining lesion localization. The clinical sign is used to determine whether a lesion of the pyramidal tract exists. The Gordon reflex is closely associated with the Babinski, Chaddock, and Oppenheim reflexes. The Gordon reflex can be used when a patient is uncooperative when eliciting the Babinski reflex or patients with very sensitive soles.
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