In what location would you most likely feel tenderness for someone with radial tunnel syndrome?

The area where tenderness would most likely be felt in someone with radial tunnel syndrome is indeed the radial tunnel area. Radial tunnel syndrome arises from the compression of the radial nerve as it passes through the radial tunnel, which is located near the elbow. This tunnel is situated between the brachioradialis and the extensor carpi radialis longus muscles, approximately 5 cm distal to the lateral epicondyle of the humerus.

In this condition, patients typically present with pain that may be diffuse or localized in the radial tunnel area, with tenderness specifically over this anatomical location. Performing provocative tests that place stress on the radial nerve within this tunnel often reproduces the symptoms. Therefore, tenderness in the radial tunnel area is a key clinical sign of radial tunnel syndrome, making it the correct answer.

Tenderness over the medial epicondyle would more likely suggest medial epicondylitis, commonly known as golfer's elbow, which involves the flexor muscles. The wrist joint and shoulder joint, while important to assess, are not typically associated with the symptoms of radial tunnel syndrome. Tenderness in these areas would lead to a different clinical diagnosis, focusing instead on conditions that specifically affect those joints.