Gaenslen sign

The Gaenslen sign (after the American surgeon Frederick Julius Gaenslen (1877–1937)) is a diagnostic method to detect inflammation of the metatarsophalangeal joints (or metatarsophalangeal joints) by means of a handle. The hand or the forefoot of the patient is pressed together in the area of ​​the metatarsals - similar to a normal handshake. This compression causes severe pain in the metacarpophalangeal joints in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis . Accordingly, even the normal handshake to greet them can be painful for a rheumatic sufferer.

The specificity and sensitivity of Gaenslen's sign are not high, but it can be helpful in the daily medical routine for the differential diagnosis of joint pain (inflammatory or degenerative).

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• Gaenslen's manipulation at whonamedit.com
• Roche Lexicon Medicine, 5th edition, Urban & Fischer 2003, keyword Gaenslen sign

This article is about a health issue. It is not used for self-diagnosis and does not replace a diagnosis by a doctor. Please note the information on health issues !