Which description best defines the Gower sign?

Which description best defines the Gower sign?

• A. It is a visual sign of papilledema.
• B. It involves using the hands to push up from a squat to a standing position.
• C. It describes difficulty swallowing.
• D. It is a sign of peripheral edema.

Answer: (B)

Proximal muscle weakness of the hips and thighs makes it hard to rise from the floor. When attempting to stand, the patient can’t extend the hips and knees effectively, so they compensate by placing their hands on the thighs and pushing up, effectively “climbing” up the legs until upright. That pushing-up maneuver is the Gower sign. It’s classically seen with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and other proximal myopathies. It isn’t related to visual signs of increased intracranial pressure, swallowing difficulties, or edema.

Proximal muscle weakness of the hips and thighs makes it hard to rise from the floor. When attempting to stand, the patient can’t extend the hips and knees effectively, so they compensate by placing their hands on the thighs and pushing up, effectively “climbing” up the legs until upright. That pushing-up maneuver is the Gower sign. It’s classically seen with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and other proximal myopathies. It isn’t related to visual signs of increased intracranial pressure, swallowing difficulties, or edema.