Standing, sitting or lying supine
Anterior or lateral to the patient
May I touch your hand? ( or point to the demonstrated area )
Please bend your elbow and position your hand, so that your thumb points up (if standing or sitting).
Raise your thumb straight up and keep your other fingers bent (or demonstrate, which is easier).
(If needed, hold in this position while I try to move your thumb.)
Guide the patient to position the radioulnar joint in neutral pronation and supination. Guide the patient to extend and flex all joints of the thumb while keeping the other fingers flexed. Observe that as the thumb extends, two long tendons are observed on the lateral thumb. Palpate the more anterior tendon, the extensor pollicis brevis, while extending the thumb. With unclear muscle activity, provide added resistance by having the patient ìholdî while you gradually produce a push on the proximal phalanx of the thumb in the direction of thumb flexion.
VH -