The nurse encourages the patient to use the four-point crutch gait technique. This technique is most likely indicated because it:

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The four-point crutch gait involves alternating crutch and leg movements (right crutch, left leg, left crutch, right leg), providing maximum stability due to three points of support on the ground at all times. This is ideal for patients needing balance and safety, such as those with weakness or partial weight-bearing restrictions. Non-weight bearing typically uses a swing-through gait, not four-point. Mimicking normal walking is closer to a two-point gait, which is less stable. Rapid pace aligns with swing gaits, not the deliberate four-point method. Stability is the key advantage here, making it suitable for patients recovering from lower limb injuries or neurological conditions, ensuring safe mobility over speed or normalcy.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Carpal tunnel syndrome results from compression within the wrist's carpal tunnel, a narrow passage housing tendons and the median nerve. This nerve, when squeezed by swelling or repetitive strain, causes numbness, tingling, and pain in the thumb and fingers. The radial artery supplies the hand but isn't in the tunnel. The brachial artery is in the upper arm, unrelated to wrist issues. The ulnar nerve runs outside the tunnel, affecting different fingers when compressed. The median nerve's location and symptoms align with the condition's hallmark, making it the clear cause, distinct from vascular or other nerve involvement.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The inguinal canal is an anatomical structure in the anterior abdominal wall, running obliquely just above and parallel to the medial half of the inguinal ligament. In males, it transmits the spermatic cord (containing the vas deferens, blood vessels, and nerves) and the ilioinguinal nerve, while in females, it carries the round ligament of the uterus and the same nerve. This canal is clinically significant due to its association with inguinal hernias. Insertion refers to the movable attachment point of a muscle, not a passageway. Deep is a positional term, not a structure. Origin is the stationary attachment of a muscle, also unrelated to this definition. The inguinal canal's specific location and contents match the description perfectly, making it the correct answer, as it is a well-defined feature in abdominal anatomy distinct from muscle attachment points.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The buccinator is the primary muscle of the cheek, forming its muscular foundation and aiding in chewing by compressing the cheek against the teeth. Located between the maxilla and mandible, it's essential for keeping food in the oral cavity. The masseter, a powerful jaw-closing muscle, is superficial to the cheek but not its main component. The temporalis elevates the mandible from above the cheek. The zygomaticus major lifts the mouth corners for smiling, not forming the cheek. The buccinator's role and position make it the correct answer, as it directly constitutes the cheek's structure, distinguishing it from other facial muscles involved in jaw or expression movements.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: During inhalation, external intercostals contract to elevate the ribs, expanding the thoracic cavity for air intake, while the diaphragm also flattens. In forced exhalation, internal intercostals contract to depress the ribs, reducing cavity volume to expel air, often with abdominal muscle aid. Transverse abdominis assists exhalation but doesn't directly depress ribs. The diaphragm drives inhalation, not rib depression. Reversing intercostals is incorrect, as their roles are distinct. External intercostals for inhalation and internal for forced exhalation is the correct answer, reflecting their specific actions in respiratory mechanics, key to understanding breathing dynamics.