College of Massage Therapists of British Columbia (CMTBC) Practice Exam

What is a characteristic feature of Erb's Duchenne Palsy?

1. Injury to C1-C2

2. Paralysis of the arm due to injury to C5-C6

3. Loss of leg function

4. Injury to the spinal cord below T6

The correct answer is: Paralysis of the arm due to injury to C5-C6

A characteristic feature of Erb's Duchenne Palsy is paralysis of the arm due to injury to the C5-C6 nerve roots. This condition typically arises from traumatic injuries, such as those sustained during childbirth or motorcycle accidents, where the arm is forcefully pulled away from the body, leading to nerve damage in the upper brachial plexus. As a result, the muscles innervated by these nerve roots become weakened or paralyzed, causing characteristic symptoms such as a limp or "waiter's tip" posture of the affected arm, which can present with an inability to lift the arm and loss of sensation in the region innervated by the shoulder and upper arm. The other options highlight conditions affecting different areas of the nervous system or different parts of the body, which do not pertain to Erb's Duchenne Palsy. For example, injuries to C1-C2 would affect different functional aspects including potentially affecting the diaphragm, while loss of leg function and injuries below T6 relate to conditions affecting the lower extremities or lower spinal cord, which are not relevant to the specific arm paralysis seen in Erb's Palsy.