You Evaluate a Patient with a Spinal Cord Injury at the C6

Multiple Choice

You evaluate a patient with a spinal cord injury at the C6 level in an inpatient rehabilitation setting.The patient is sitting in her wheelchair.To assess reaching and grasping of the upper extremity,you ask her to reach and pick up the remote control sitting on the bedside table in front of her.She tells you that she cannot grip or grab on to anything because of her injury.What is the most appropriate response?

A) Apologize to the patient for asking her to do something that is not possible at this time
B) Ask the patient to reach for the remote control but not attempt to pick it up in order to assess upper extremity reaching
C) Tell the patient that she should be able to grip normally given the level of her injury
D) Instruct and demonstrate a possible way to grasp the remote by placing your hand over the remote,extending your wrist,and allowing the passive tension of the finger flexors to grasp the remote