“F” WAVE: Clinical Importance

Abstract

F-wave is one of the late responses produced by antidromic activation of Motoneurons by supramaximal stimulation. They are variable in latency, amplitude, and configuration. Whenever we talk of nerve conduction studies, the importance of F wave are considered less.One should understand the characteristics and the physiology of F wave. This is important since F-waves are one of the most frequently used studies in clinical neurophysiology and much of the controversies surrounding the use of F-waves relates to a failure to adequately consider the requirements of Fwave analysis. These requirements include the number of F-waves that need to be recorded, the parameters that should be evaluated, and the muscle from which the F-waves are recorded. They are recorded over a muscle innervated by the stimulated nerve.F-waves are the only parameter in nerve conduction studies particularly useful for the diagnosis of proximal nerve lesions