Which nerve area is commonly affected in ulnar nerve entrapment?

Which nerve area is commonly affected in ulnar nerve entrapment?

• A. Thumb and index finger
• B. Shoulder blade region
• C. Elbow, hand, wrist, or fingers
• D. Toes

Answer: (C)

Ulnar nerve entrapment shows up in the areas that the nerve normally supplies—the medial hand and the little and half of the ring finger, with possible weakness of intrinsic hand muscles. Since the nerve travels through the elbow and into the wrist and hand, compression can occur at the elbow, hand, wrist, or fingers. That makes the option describing the elbow, hand, wrist, or fingers the best fit, because it matches where the ulnar nerve can be compressed and what it innervates. The thumb and index finger are served mainly by the median nerve, not the ulnar nerve, so that distribution isn’t typical of ulnar entrapment. The shoulder blade region isn’t a primary ulnar sensory or motor area, and toes are supplied by nerves that originate in the legs, not the ulnar nerve.

Ulnar nerve entrapment shows up in the areas that the nerve normally supplies—the medial hand and the little and half of the ring finger, with possible weakness of intrinsic hand muscles. Since the nerve travels through the elbow and into the wrist and hand, compression can occur at the elbow, hand, wrist, or fingers. That makes the option describing the elbow, hand, wrist, or fingers the best fit, because it matches where the ulnar nerve can be compressed and what it innervates.

The thumb and index finger are served mainly by the median nerve, not the ulnar nerve, so that distribution isn’t typical of ulnar entrapment. The shoulder blade region isn’t a primary ulnar sensory or motor area, and toes are supplied by nerves that originate in the legs, not the ulnar nerve.