American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) Practice Exam 2026 - Free ABPN Practice Questions and Study Guide

The phenomenon indicated when a patient pushes their affected leg down while lifting their good leg is known as Hoover's sign. This sign is particularly relevant in the context of neurological assessments to distinguish between organic and non-organic causes of weakness.

Hoover's sign is observed in a clinical setting when a person with lower extremity weakness demonstrates involuntary movement in the unaffected leg when asked to lift the affected leg. If the patient truly has weakness due to an organic cause, the unaffected leg will remain passive, but if the weakness is psychogenic (non-organic), the unaffected leg will push down or exhibit movement as the patient attempts to lift the affected leg. This can indicate a lack of true lower motor neuron dysfunction in the affected limb.

The other options refer to different neurological signs or tests that are not associated with this specific phenomenon. For example, Hoffman's sign is a test for upper motor neuron lesions, Lasègue's sign is related to nerve root irritation or herniated discs, and the Romberg sign assesses proprioceptive function and balance. Thus, Hoover’s sign is the correct indication of the described behavior in this scenario.