Which statement about the Prayers sign test is true?

• A. Maximally extend wrists so palms are in full contact; numbness or tingling
• B. Tests the ulnar nerve
• C. Performed with the elbow flexed
• D. Yields elbow pain

Answer: (A)

The Prayers sign test checks median nerve function at the wrist by provoking symptoms with a prayer-like hand posture. In this maneuver you press the palms together with the wrists extended so the palmar surfaces are in full contact. If numbness or tingling appears in the median-nerve distribution (thumb, index, middle finger, and part of the ring finger), that indicates carpal tunnel–type compression.

This is why the statement describing extending the wrists to maximize palm contact and eliciting numbness or tingling fits best: it captures how the test increases pressure in the carpal tunnel to reproduce median nerve symptoms. The test isn’t about the ulnar nerve, doesn’t rely on elbow position, and isn’t about elbow pain, so those alternatives don’t align with what the prayer sign evaluates.