Physical examination maneuver

Physical Exam

Biceps Deep Tendon Reflex

also known as Biceps jerk
🎬
Video coming September 2026

How to Perform

With the patient's arm relaxed and the elbow partially flexed, place your thumb or finger firmly over the biceps tendon in the antecubital fossa and strike your own thumb with the reflex hammer. The normal response is reflex flexion of the elbow.

How to Interpret

Showing 2 of 7 findings

Cervical Radiculopathy

Diminished or absent biceps reflex (≤1+)
Rule in
Somewhat helpful
Rule out
Not helpful
Evidence:Limited

Peripheral Neuropathy

Multi-level hyporeflexia pattern (all deep tendon reflexes impaired)
Rule in
Very helpfulDerived CI
Rule out
Minimally helpfulDerived CI
Evidence:Limited

References

  • Wainner RS, et al. Reliability and diagnostic accuracy of the clinical examination and patient self-report measures for cervical radiculopathy. Spine. 2003;28(1):52-62. PMID: 12544957.
  • Li ZF, Niu XL, Nie LL, Chen LP, Cao CF, Guo L. Diagnostic value of clinical deep tendon reflexes in diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Arch Med Sci. 2023;19(5):1201-1206. doi:10.5114/aoms.2020.100656. PMID 37732044. PMC10507750.
  • Fokke C, van den Berg B, Drenthen J, Walgaard C, van Doorn PA, Jacobs BC. Diagnosis of Guillain-Barré syndrome and validation of Brighton criteria. Brain. 2014;137(Pt 1):33-43. PMID: 24163275.
  • Teitelbaum JS, Eliasziw M, Garner M. Tests of motor function in patients suspected of having mild unilateral cerebral lesions. Can J Neurol Sci. 2002;29(4):337-344. doi:10.1017/S0317167100002201. PMID: 12463489.
  • Jiang Z, Davies B, Zipser C, Margetis K, Martin A, Matsoukas S, et al. The value of clinical signs in the diagnosis of degenerative cervical myelopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Global Spine J. 2024;14(4):1369-1394. doi:10.1177/21925682231209869. PMID: 37903098. PMCID: PMC11289551.
  • Wainner RS, Fritz JM, Irrgang JJ, Boninger ML, Delitto A, Allison S. Reliability and diagnostic accuracy of the clinical examination and patient self-report measures for cervical radiculopathy. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2003 Jan 1;28(1):52-62. doi:10.1097/00007632-200301010-00014. PMID 12544957.
  • Bickley LS, Szilagyi PG, Hoffman RM, Soriano RP. Bates' Guide to Physical Examination and History Taking. 13th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer; 2021.
  • Swartz MH. Textbook of Physical Diagnosis: History and Examination. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025.

Research last updated September 9, 2026.

Related Systems / Regions

NeurologicalUpper Extremities

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Rule out:ICCervical Radiculopathy