When the elbow is abducted, what motion occurs at the wrist?

• A. Abduction
• B. Adduction
• C. Flexion
• D. Extension

Answer: (B)

When the elbow moves away from the body's midline in the frontal plane, the forearm shifts into a valgus position. The wrist then compensates along the same kinetic chain to keep the hand aligned with the forearm and to balance the forces across the joints. The result is adduction of the wrist (ulnar deviation). In short, elbow abduction tends to drive the wrist toward the ulna. Abduction of the wrist would move toward the thumb side and isn’t the compensatory pattern here, and flexion/extension occur in a different plane and aren’t the typical response to elbow abduction.