Final answer:
True.In occupational therapy, abducting the fingers involves moving them away from the midline or palm, which helps improve hand function and mobility. The abductor muscles are essential in performing this movement
Step-by-step explanation:
The occupational therapist wanting the patient to abduct their fingers refers to the action of moving the fingers away from the midline of the body or the palm. This is commonly a part of therapeutic exercises or assessments of hand and finger function. The abductor muscles, such as the abductor digiti minimi for the little finger, and abductor pollicis brevis for the thumb, are responsible for this movement.
Performing abduction of the fingers can assist in improving the mobility and function of the hand, which is often a goal in occupational therapy. More specific movements, like flexing the three middle fingers at metacarpo-phalangeal joints and extending them at interphalangeal joints, are involved in complex hand functions and are key aspects of a hand therapy program.