Hand: Froment sign: 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 · Hand: Froment sign

Sample item

A man with an ulnar nerve palsy is asked to grip a sheet of paper between his thumb and the side of the index finger. The thumb interphalangeal joint flexes as the paper is pulled away. Which muscle produces this substitution?

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. Flexor pollicis longus

Adductor pollicis is supplied by the deep branch of the ulnar nerve. When it is paralysed, the patient grips by flexing the thumb interphalangeal joint with flexor pollicis longus, supplied by the anterior interosseous branch of the median nerve (Froment sign). This is a compensatory movement used to hold the paper.

Option by option

  • A. Abductor pollicis brevis

    Abductor pollicis brevis moves the thumb away from the palm and does not flex the interphalangeal joint.

  • B. Extensor pollicis longus

    Extensor pollicis longus extends the thumb, the opposite movement.

  • C. Opponens pollicis

    Opponens pollicis moves the first metacarpal across the palm.

  • D. Flexor pollicis longus (correct)

    Correct. Flexor pollicis longus flexes the interphalangeal joint to compensate for adductor pollicis.

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, Flexor pollicis longus. Adductor pollicis is supplied by the deep branch of the ulnar nerve.

Why is "Abductor pollicis brevis" not the answer?

Abductor pollicis brevis moves the thumb away from the palm and does not flex the interphalangeal joint.

Why is "Extensor pollicis longus" not the answer?

Extensor pollicis longus extends the thumb, the opposite movement.

Why is "Opponens pollicis" not the answer?

Opponens pollicis moves the first metacarpal across the palm.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Hand: Froment sign in Anatomy. When it is paralysed, the patient grips by flexing the thumb interphalangeal joint with flexor pollicis longus, supplied by the anterior interosseous branch of the median nerve (Froment sign). This is a compensatory movement used to hold the paper.

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 Hand: Froment sign?

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.