Lost in Motion
Flex Appeal
Innervation Nation
Fracture Features
Vascular Side Quest (w/Miscellaneous)
100
These two muscles originate at the lateral supracondylar ridge of the humerus.
What are the Extensor carpi radialis longus and Brachioradialis?
All other muscles in the first layer of the posterior compartment of the forearm originate at the lateral epicondyle.
100
Where does the coracobrachialis muscle insert?
What is the anteromedial surface of the shaft of the humerus?
100
If the nerve that innervates the triceps is damaged, what action will the hand have trouble with?
What is wrist extension?
aka wrist drop due to radial nerve damage
100
How many bones are in the arm and forearm? (there were 24 questions but 25 jeopardy slots)
3! Humerus, radius, and ulna.
100
What is the blood supply of the triceps?
What is the deep brachial artery?
200
A tennis player develops medial epicondylitis due to repetitive strain at the common flexor origin. Which of the following movements would most likely exacerbate the pain?
A. Resisted wrist flexion and forearm pronation
B. Resisted wrist extension and forearm supination
C. Passive finger extension with the wrist flexed
D. Active distal interphalangeal (DIP) flexion of digits 2–5
A. Resisted wrist flexion and forearm pronation
Superficial flexors share the common flexor tendon at the medial epicondyle and are activated during wrist flexion and pronation.
200
A 21 year old male presents to the emergency department after “feeling a pop” in his arm while doing a curl with a 55 pound dumbbell. He shows some tenderness at the intertubercular sulcus and minimal loss of arm and forearm flexion as well as a displacement distally of his biceps brachii. What specific structure injury occurred in this patient?
What is tear of the long head tendon of the Biceps Brachii?
200
Damage to the main innervation of the superficial muscles of the posterior forearm would result in...? (three things)
Wrist drop, can't extend fingers, weak grip
200
A 32-year-old man sustains a midshaft fracture after his arm is struck during a motor vehicle collision. Weeks later, he cannot extend his wrist. The fracture most likely occurred at a groove on this bone that transmits the radial nerve.
What is the radial groove (spiral groove) of the humerus?
200
What roots does the nerve that innervates the triceps arise from?
What is C5-T1? (radial nerve)
300
A 38-year-old carpenter presents after a fall onto his outstretched arm. Imaging reveals a fracture of the proximal radius just distal to the radial head. On physical exam, he has weakness when attempting to rotate his forearm so that the palm faces anteriorly. What is the origin and insertion of this muscle? (Using two words or less)
Origin: lateral epicondyle, Insertion: radius (muscle is the Supinator)
300
A patient presents with weakness in wrist flexion and inability to flex the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints of digits 2–5 after a laceration just distal to the medial epicondyle. Which superficial flexor is most likely injured?
A. Flexor digitorum profundus
B. Flexor carpi ulnaris
C. Flexor digitorum superficialis
D. Palmaris longus
C. Flexor digitorum superficialis
300
A 67-year-old woman falls onto an outstretched hand. She presents with shoulder pain and inability to abduct her arm beyond 15°. Sensation is decreased over the lateral shoulder. X-ray shows a fracture of the surgical neck of the humerus. Which structure was most likely injured?
A. Radial nerve
B. Musculocutaneous nerve
C. Axillary nerve
D. Suprascapular nerve
E. Thoracodorsal nerve
C. Axillary nerve
Why the others are wrong:
Radial nerve → injured at midshaft humerus → wrist drop
Musculocutaneous → elbow flexion weakness
Suprascapular → affects first 15° abduction (supraspinatus)
Thoracodorsal → latissimus dorsi (extension/adduction)
300
A 21-year-old woman slips on ice and falls on her outstretched right hand. Imaging shows a comminuted fracture of the proximal radius with fracture fragments displaced into the interosseous space. After surgical repair, she is noted to have weakness with forearm pronation that is most apparent when the elbow is flexed. From which spinal cord levels do the injured nerve fibers primarily arise?
What is C8-T1?
300
What vein drains the lateral aspect of the upper limb and is commonly used to create an AV fistula for hemodialysis?
What is the Cephalic vein?
400
A 54-year-old woman presents with progressive right shoulder pain for 6 months. The pain worsens when reaching overhead to place dishes in a cabinet. She reports difficulty initiating abduction and experiences sharp pain between 60° and 120° of arm elevation. Which tendon is most likely being compressed? Passive range of motion is normal.
A. Infraspinatus
B. Subscapularis
C. Teres minor
D. Supraspinatus
D. Supraspinatus
This is classic subacromial impingement syndrome. The supraspinatus tendon runs through the subacromial space, which lies between the acromion (and coracoacromial ligament) above and the humeral head below. During abduction—especially between 60° and 120°—this space narrows, compressing structures within it (called the “painful arc”). In addition to the supraspinatus tendon, the subacromial (subdeltoid) bursa can also be irritated in this condition.
400
During resisted wrist flexion, a patient’s hand deviates ulnarly instead of remaining in neutral alignment. Which muscle is most likely weakened?
A. Flexor carpi ulnaris
B. Flexor digitorum superficialis
C. Pronator teres
D. Flexor carpi radialis
D. Flexor carpi radialis
Loss of flexor carpi radialis allows unopposed ulnar deviation by flexor carpi ulnaris.
400
A 29-year-old snowboarder falls onto his outstretched right hand and later notices difficulty extending the thumb at the interphalangeal joint. Physical examination reveals preserved thumb abduction and extension at the metacarpophalangeal joint, but inability to extend the distal phalanx. What is the nerve that innervates this muscle?
What is the Posterior interosseous nerve? (muscle is the Extensor Pollicis Longus)
400
A 10-year-old child falls onto an outstretched hand and presents with pain and swelling just above the elbow. Imaging reveals a fracture that places the ulnar collateral artery at risk. Which bone is fractured?
What is the distal humerus (supracondylar region)?
400
A 27-year-old man sustains a penetrating injury to his posterior, proximal forearm and develops weakness with wrist extension. Imaging shows injury to the artery that supplies the superficial posterior forearm muscles. Which artery was most likely injured?
What is the radial artery?
The posterior interosseous artery supplies the deep posterior muscles of the forearm, not superficial.
500
A 58-year-old woman with a history of poorly controlled type 2 diabetes presents with progressive left shoulder stiffness for 4 months. She reports difficulty combing her hair and fastening her bra. She denies trauma. On exam, both active and passive range of motion are significantly restricted in all directions, especially external rotation. Which structure is primarily affected in this condition?
A. Supraspinatus tendon
B. Glenoid labrum
C. Subacromial bursa
D. Glenohumeral joint capsule
E. Coracoacromial ligament
D. Glenohumeral joint capsule
Adhesive capsulitis results from fibrosis and thickening of the glenohumeral joint capsule, leading to decreased joint volume and restricted movement. Because the capsule itself is stiff, both active and passive range of motion are limited, which distinguishes it from rotator cuff pathology (where passive motion is preserved). External rotation is often the first and most severely restricted movement because the anterior capsule tightens. Diabetes is a major risk factor due to increased collagen cross-linking and fibrosis.
500
A 20-year-old student playing football grabs an opposing player’s jersey, and the opponent pulls away suddenly, forcibly extending the student’s 4th digit while it is flexed. After the play, the student is unable to flex the distal interphalangeal joint of the 4th finger. The injured structure is the tendon of a muscle innervated by which nerve?
What are the muscular branches of the ulnar nerve to the medial half of the flexor digitorum profundus?
500
Following a routine venipuncture a 36-year-old man discovers he is unable to make a normal “OK” sign with his right hand. On exam, he is unable to flex the interphalangeal joint of the thumb. During the venipuncture a muscular branch of what nerve was damaged leading to the deficit noted in this patient? (Dolderer, J. H., et. al.)
What is the anterior interosseous nerve?
500
A construction worker falls from height and sustains a fracture that isolates the glenoid cavity from the rest of the scapular body. The fracture line runs through the narrowed region just medial to the glenoid fossa. What is this region called and why might this fracture be concerning?
What is the Quadrangular space?
This injury endangers the Axillary nerve (and posterior circumflex humeral artery) as they pass through this space.
500
A 26-year-old surgical intern accidentally lacerates the dorsum of his wrist with a scalpel while assisting in the operating room. On exam, he can extend all digits at the metacarpophalangeal joints, but he is unable to independently extend his index finger when the other fingers are held in flexion. What muscle is most likely damaged?
What is the Extensor Indices?