Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX USA) Practice

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Prepare for the COMLEX-USA with quizzes featuring flashcards and multiple-choice questions, each with hints and explanations. Gear up for your osteopathic medicine exam!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.

Which joint action is primarily initiated by the supraspinatus?

External rotation
ABduction
Adduction
Flexion

The correct answer is: ABduction

The supraspinatus muscle plays a critical role in the initiation of arm movement, particularly in the abduction of the shoulder. It is one of the four rotator cuff muscles and is specifically tasked with aiding in the first 15 degrees of abduction. When the arm is raised, the supraspinatus helps to stabilize the head of the humerus in the glenoid cavity of the scapula and provides the necessary force to elevate the arm away from the body. This initiation of abduction is crucial for proper shoulder function and is essential for various upper extremity activities. The other joint actions listed, such as external rotation, adduction, and flexion, involve different muscles or muscle groups, and do not primarily rely on the action of the supraspinatus. Thus, abduction is the most accurate representation of the specific action initiated by this muscle.