Froment's sign

Froment's sign
Deep palmar nerves
Differential diagnosis	palsy of the ulnar nerve

Froment's sign is a special test of the wrist for palsy of the ulnar nerve, specifically, the action of adductor pollicis.^[1] Froment's maneuver can also refer to the from contralateral arm movements seen in Parkinson's disease.

Process of examination[]

To perform the test, a patient is asked to hold an object, usually a flat object such as a piece of paper, between the thumb and index finger (pinch grip). The examiner then attempts to pull the object out of the subject's hands.^[2]

• A normal individual will be able to maintain a hold on the object without difficulty.
• However, with ulnar nerve palsy, the patient will experience difficulty maintaining a hold and will compensate by flexing the flexor pollicis longus of the thumb to maintain grip pressure causing a pinching effect.^[3]
• Clinically, this compensation manifests as flexion of the interphalangeal joint of the thumb (rather than adduction, as would occur with correct use of the adductor pollicis).
• The compensation of the affected hand results in a weak pinch grip with the tips of the thumb and index finger, therefore, with the thumb in obvious flexion.^[3]
• Note that the flexor pollicis longus is normally innervated by the anterior interosseous branch of the median nerve.
• Anterior interosseous branch comes off more proximally than the wrist, in evaluating lacerations near the wrist.
• Simultaneous hyperextension of the thumb MCP joint is indicative of ulnar nerve compromise. This is also known as Jeanne's sign.^[2]

Eponym[]

It is named after French neurologist Jules Froment.^[4][5]

References[]

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