Which of the following statements about ‘Low’ Radial nerve palsy is not true:
**Core Concept**
Low radial nerve palsy, also known as Wrist Drop, is a condition characterized by weakness or paralysis of the extensor muscles of the wrist and fingers. This results in the inability to extend the wrist and fingers, leading to a characteristic posture with the wrist in flexion and the fingers in extension.
**Why the Correct Answer is Right**
Low radial nerve palsy typically occurs due to injury to the radial nerve at the level of the elbow, specifically at the spiral groove. This injury leads to denervation of the extensor muscles of the forearm, resulting in weakness or paralysis of wrist and finger extension. The radial nerve supplies the extensor muscles through the posterior interosseous nerve, a branch that arises from the radial nerve at the elbow.
**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect**
**Option A:** This option is incorrect because low radial nerve palsy is characterized by weakness of wrist and finger extension, not flexion.
**Option B:** This option is incorrect because the radial nerve is not typically injured at the level of the shoulder or neck in low radial nerve palsy.
**Option C:** This option is incorrect because low radial nerve palsy does not typically involve weakness of thumb extension, which is supplied by the posterior interosseous nerve, a branch of the radial nerve.
**Clinical Pearl / High-Yield Fact**
A classic clinical sign of low radial nerve palsy is the "wrist drop" posture, where the wrist is flexed and the fingers are extended. This is often accompanied by a positive "tenodesis grip", where the patient attempts to grip an object by flexing the fingers and wrist in an attempt to compensate for the weakness.
**Correct Answer: A. This option is incorrect because low radial nerve palsy is characterized by weakness of wrist and finger extension, not flexion.**