Someone who has broken an arm and has had a cast on it for months will notice a distinct shrinking of the arm once the cast is removed. Why does this happen?
A) The cast has reduced blood flow to the muscle tissue to reduce swelling.
B) Muscles that are not used will atrophy.
C) The other arm was used more to compensate for the unused one, and it has become stronger.
D) If the person was right-handed, he or she will become left-handed.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Muscles that are not used will atrophy, meaning they will shrink in size and lose strength due to a lack of use or activity. The cast immobilizes the broken arm, leading to lack of use and muscle atrophy.

Someone Who Has Broken an Arm and Has Had a Cast