Upper limb: shoulder: practice question

A Anatomy question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Anatomy · Upper limb: shoulder

Sample item

A 55-year-old painter has pain and difficulty starting to lift his arm out to the side. MRI shows a tear of the tendon passing beneath the acromion and above the humeral head. Which muscle is affected?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

D. Supraspinatus

The supraspinatus tendon runs under the acromion and over the head of the humerus, where it is prone to impingement and degenerative tears. The muscle initiates abduction in the first part of the movement before the deltoid takes over.

Option by option

  • A. Infraspinatus

    Infraspinatus lies behind the joint and is a lateral rotator, so its tear mainly weakens external rotation.

  • B. Teres minor

    Teres minor is a small lateral rotator inserting on the greater tuberosity behind the joint and does not pass beneath the acromion.

  • C. Subscapularis

    Subscapularis lies in front of the joint and acts as a medial rotator.

  • D. Supraspinatus (correct)

    Correct. Supraspinatus initiates abduction and its tendon passes beneath the acromion, making it the most commonly torn rotator cuff tendon.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More Anatomy questions

Questions about this Anatomy question

What is the answer to this Anatomy question?

The best answer is D, Supraspinatus. The supraspinatus tendon runs under the acromion and over the head of the humerus, where it is prone to impingement and degenerative tears.

Why is "Infraspinatus" not the answer?

Infraspinatus lies behind the joint and is a lateral rotator, so its tear mainly weakens external rotation.

Why is "Teres minor" not the answer?

Teres minor is a small lateral rotator inserting on the greater tuberosity behind the joint and does not pass beneath the acromion.

Why is "Subscapularis" not the answer?

Subscapularis lies in front of the joint and acts as a medial rotator.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Upper limb: shoulder in Anatomy. The muscle initiates abduction in the first part of the movement before the deltoid takes over.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Upper limb: shoulder?

Learn every nerve by its route, its muscles and what a lesion looks like at the bedside. That one habit answers a large share of questions. Then use the flashcards and the other Anatomy questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.