Hoffman's sign is a neurological sign in the hand which is an indicator of problems in the spinal cord. It is associated with a loss of grip.
The test for Hoffman's sign involves tapping the nail on the third or forth finger. A positive Hoffman's is the involuntary flexing of the end of the thumb and index finger - normally, there should be no reflex response.
Hoffman's sign is an indicator of a number of neurological conditions including Cervical Spondylitis, other forms of spinal cord compression and Multiple Sclerosis. In MS, a positive Hoffman's sign is usually caused by lesions in the motor nerve pathways on or above the place in the spinal cord where the nerves that control the hands exit (C5).
Hoffman's sign links: