Abdominal thrusts: Where should the fist be placed?

• A. Below the navel
• B. Just above the navel
• C. On the chest
• D. Over the sternum

Answer: (B)

To dislodge a blocked airway with abdominal thrusts, place the fist just above the navel in the midline of the abdomen, with the other hand stabilizing around the waist. This spot lets you deliver a quick inward and upward shove that increases pressure against the diaphragm to push air upward and expel the object.

Pushing below the navel would target a lower, less effective area and could risk injury to internal organs. Placing the fist on the chest or over the sternum is not abdominal thrusting—it uses chest-area pressure rather than abdominal pressure, which is why those options aren’t appropriate for this technique.