American Board of Surgery Qualifying Exam (ABS QE) Practice Test 2025 - Free Surgery Exam Practice Questions and Study Guide

The latissimus dorsi muscle is primarily responsible for movements involving the shoulder, particularly in actions that require pulling or bringing the arms down and back towards the body. One of the hallmark movements associated with the latissimus dorsi is the pull-up, where the muscle plays a crucial role in the downward phase of the pull-up motion as the arms are drawn up to the bar. This exercise effectively engages the latissimus dorsi along with other muscles, showcasing its primary function.

While shoulder flexion involves raising the arms and engaging different muscles, the latissimus dorsi is more involved in shoulder extension, adduction, and internal rotation rather than flexion. Elbow extension is primarily carried out by the triceps muscle and does not involve the latissimus dorsi significantly. Similarly, wrist extension is the domain of the forearm extensors and has no direct association with the latissimus dorsi muscle function. Therefore, the movement type most closely linked to the latissimus dorsi is indeed the pull-ups, highlighting its role in upper body strength and functional movement training.