Posted: September 5th, 2017

Extension and external rotation of the arms and wrists

When the nurse observes that the patient has extension and external rotation of the arms and wrists and extension, plantar flexion, and internal rotation of the feet, she records the patient’s posturing as:

a) decerebrate.
Decerebrate posturing is the result of lesions at the midbrain and is more ominous than decorticate posturing.
b) normal.
The described posturing results from cerebral trauma and is not normal.
c) flaccid.
The patient has no motor function, is limp, and lacks motor tone with flaccid posturing.
d) decorticate.
In decorticate posturing, the patient has flexion and internal rotation of the arms and wrists and extension, internal rotation, and plantar flexion of the feet.