Froment's sign
Froment's Sign
Froment's sign (/frɔːˈmɒn/; from French, named after Jules Froment, a French neurologist) is a clinical sign used in the diagnosis of ulnar nerve palsy. It is a physical examination finding that indicates weakness of the adductor pollicis muscle in the hand, which is innervated by the ulnar nerve.
Etymology
The term "Froment's sign" is named after Jules Froment, a French neurologist who first described the sign in 1915. The term is derived from the French language, with "sign" referring to a clinical indication of a certain medical condition.
Description
Froment's sign is elicited during a physical examination. The patient is asked to hold a piece of paper between their thumb and index finger (pinch grip). If the patient has ulnar nerve palsy, they will compensate for the weakness by flexing the thumb's flexor pollicis longus muscle, which is innervated by the anterior interosseous nerve, a branch of the median nerve. This compensation is known as Froment's sign.
Related Terms
- Ulnar nerve: A nerve that runs near the ulna bone and supplies feeling to the little finger and half of the ring finger, and controls most of the little muscles in the hand that help with fine movements.
- Adductor pollicis muscle: A large triangular muscle in the hand which functions to adduct the thumb.
- Flexor pollicis longus muscle: A muscle in the forearm and hand that flexes the thumb.
- Jules Froment: A French neurologist who first described Froment's sign.
- Anterior interosseous nerve: A branch of the median nerve that supplies the deep muscles on the front of the forearm.
- Median nerve: A nerve in humans and other animals located in the upper limb, one of the five main nerves originating from the brachial plexus.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Froment's sign
- Wikipedia's article - Froment's sign
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