Inward pulling of chest wall during breathing.

• A. Bradypnea
• B. Retractions
• C. Tripod Position
• D. Rales

Answer: (B)

Inward pulling of the chest wall during inspiration is called retractions. It reflects increased work of breathing from airway obstruction or decreased lung compliance, causing negative intrathoracic pressure to pull the chest wall inward, especially in the intercostal spaces and around the neck area. This sign is common in respiratory distress from conditions like bronchiolitis, pneumonia, asthma exacerbation, or severe COPD.

Bradypnea means a slower-than-normal breathing rate, not the visible inward movement of the chest. Tripod position is a posture used to ease breathing by leveraging accessory muscles, not the chest wall collapsing inward itself. Rales are crackling sounds heard on auscultation due to fluid in the lungs, not a visible chest-wall motion.