A body is retrieved from a house fire. The heat causes the body to assume the 'pugilistic' (boxer) posture. This posture results from:

• A Vital reaction of the CNS causing extensor spasm before death
• B Rigor mortis superimposed on the death position
• C Specific pattern of flame spread affecting only flexor compartments
• D Postmortem coagulation and shortening of muscle proteins due to intense heat causing flexion of all joints ✓

Explanation

The pugilistic (boxer) attitude is a post-mortem artefact caused by the differential heat coagulation of muscle proteins. Flexor muscles are larger in mass than extensor muscles in the upper and lower limbs; when heat denatures and contracts muscle proteins, the greater bulk of flexor muscles causes overall flexion of all joints (elbows, knees, hips, wrists), producing the pugilistic posture. This is a post-mortem change and has NO medicolegal significance regarding manner of death or vital reaction.

Reference: The Essentials of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology (Narayan Reddy), 34th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.