Neither a general flexor nor a withdrawal pattern of nociceptive reflexes evoked from the human foot.

In humans motor reactions to noxious radiant heat stimulation of the sole and the dorsum of the foot do not resemble a locally specific pattern of multiple modular withdrawal reflexes but rather a general flexion reflex pattern with a few exceptions which did neither fit a withdrawal nor a flexion reflex pattern. The partly observed excitatory feed back to foot extensors from nociceptive afferents of the foot sole is functionally discussed as a foot stabilizing mechanism under particular conditions.