A patient with cervical radiculopathy reports numbness of the right little finger. The therapist would MOST likely find a diminished DTR in the:

A patient with cervical radiculopathy reports numbness of the right little finger. The therapist would MOST likely find a diminished DTR in the:

• A. biceps brachii
• B. deltoid
• C. triceps brachii
• D. brachioradialis

Answer: (C)

Nerve root levels and reflexes map sensory and motor findings to specific segments. Numbness in the little finger points to the distal ulnar distribution, which corresponds to C8–T1. The reflex that most directly tests this region is the triceps brachii reflex, mediated mainly by C7–C8. So, a cervical radiculopathy affecting C8–T1 would likely diminish the triceps reflex. The other listed reflexes test higher roots (biceps and brachioradialis for C5–C6, deltoid for C5–C6), which would be expected to be normal if only C8–T1 are involved. Hence the triceps reflex would be the one most likely diminished.

Nerve root levels and reflexes map sensory and motor findings to specific segments. Numbness in the little finger points to the distal ulnar distribution, which corresponds to C8–T1. The reflex that most directly tests this region is the triceps brachii reflex, mediated mainly by C7–C8. So, a cervical radiculopathy affecting C8–T1 would likely diminish the triceps reflex. The other listed reflexes test higher roots (biceps and brachioradialis for C5–C6, deltoid for C5–C6), which would be expected to be normal if only C8–T1 are involved. Hence the triceps reflex would be the one most likely diminished.