Clinical Correlations of the lower limb Flashcards
Avulsion Fractures of the Os Coxae
- Commonly occur during sports that require sudden deceleration or acceleration.
- Areas commonly affected:
ASIS
Ischial spine
Ischial tuberosity
hip pointer
a contusion of the iliac crest; usually near the ASIS.
Femoral fractures
- The Femoral neck is the most commonly fractured site because it is the weakest portion of the bone and often in postmenopausal women
aseptic vascular necrosis of the femoral head
- Death of the femoral heal caused by a loss of blood supply.
- Common with femoral neck fx’s.
- The majority of blood to the head arises from the medial circumflex humeral artery which wraps around the femoral neck.
Intertrochanteric femoral neck fractures
occur along line of the trochanters
Fractures of the distal femur complication
- Hemorrhage
- due to the location of these types of fractures to the popliteal artery - instability of the knee
- due to misalignment of the articular surfaces.
Tibial Fractures
- Most common site for tibial fractures is at the junction of the middle and distal thirds of bone (the weakest portion of the bone).
- These fractures are often compound due to the subcutaneous nature of the shaft of the femur.
Diagonal fractures of the tibia
- Common in skiing injuries;
2. Can result in overriding of the fractured ends of the bone and shortening of limb.
Stress fractures of the tibia
- Located commonly at the anterior portion of the tibial shaft
- Common in individuals who run or hike without adequate training
Fibular Fractures
- Most common site for fibular fractures is at or near the lateral malleolus
- Often occur with hyperinversion or hypereverion injuries at ankle.
Calcaneal Fractures
- Rare, but can occur with severe falls onto the calcaneus.
- Usually comminuted
- Disabling due to importance of the calcaneus in weight-bearing and in forming the subtalar joint.
Talus Fractures
- With severe dorsiflexion of the foot, the talar neck can be fractured.
- The body in some of these instances can dislocate posteriorly.
Os trigonum
An extra bone caused by failure of the talus to fuse during secondary ossification.
Metatarsal Fractures
- These can occur when a heavy weight is dropped on the foot
- Dancer’s fracture is common in ballet dancers when the weight of the body is forced directly through the metatarsal.
- Tuberosity of the 5th metatarsal is also a common site for avulsion fractures.
Patellar fractures
- Common with severe blows to the anterior knee
- Complete transverse fractures result in the superior portion of the bone being pulled superiorly with the quadriceps tendon.
bipartite or tripartite patella.
Failure of the patella to completely fuse during ossification.
Usually bilateral
Dislocations of the patella
- Almost always lateral due to the lateral pull of the quadriceps tendon.
- More common in females due to the increased q-angle.
Patellofemoral syndrome
- Condition of pain, resulting from improper tracking of the patella on the femur
- Common in runners; referred to as runner’s knee
chondromalacia patellae
- Inflammation on the deep surface of the patella, resulting in softening and degeneration of the cartilage.
- Treatment can include strengthening VMO portion of vastus medialis.
slipped capital femoral epiphysis
Dislocation of the femoral epiphysis that occur in children and adolescents.
Can result in avascular necrosis of the femoral head.
Osgood-Schlatter disease
- Condition of disruption of the epiphyseal plate at the tibial tuberosity.
- Results in inflammation at the tibial tuberosity
- Is a common cause of knee pain in adolescents, especially those involved in sports.
Salter Harris Type 1 Classification
A complete physeal fx with or without displacement
Salter Harris Type 2 Classification
A physeal fx that extends through the metaphysis producing a chip fracture of the metaphysis that may be very small
Salter Harris Type 3 Classification
A physeal fx that extends through the epiphysis
Salter Harris Type 4 Classification
A physeal fx plus metaphysis and epiphyseal fx’s
Salter Harris Type 5 Classification
A compression fx of the growth plate
Congenital hip dislocation
- More common in females
- Inability to abduct the hip
- Affected leg will appear shorter and positive Trendelenburg sign may be present.
Acquired hip dislocation
- Rare due to stability of joint
- Posterior dislocations can occur with severe trauma; such as an automobile accident.
- Posterior dislocations can sometimes result in sciatic nerve lesions.
Cause of tear to LCL (Lateral co-lateral ligament)
Force applied to the medial side of the knee
Cause of tear to MCL (Medial co-later ligament)
Force applied to the lateral side of the knee
ACL injuries (Anterior Cruciate Ligament)
- Tearing of the ACL is common in sports related injuries (football, skiing).
- Results in an anterior drawer sign (tibia slides anteriorly femur).
PCL Injuries
- Tearing of the PCL is less common than ACL strains.
2. Results in a posterior drawer sign (tibia slides posteriorly femur).
Tear of the medial meniscus.
- More common than lateral (due to the increased mobility of the lateral meniscus).
- Pain on medial rotation of the tibia
Tear of the lateral meniscus.
Pain on lateral rotation of the tibia
Unholy or unhappy triad
- Tearing of the medial collateral ligament + medial meniscus + anterior cruciate ligament.
- Typically results from a blow to the lateral side of extended knee or excessive lateral twisting of flexed knee.
Coxa vara
- Decrease in the angle of inclination of the femur (angle more acute)
Varus
the distal portion of anatomy deviating medially, toward midline.
Valgus
the distal portion of anatomy deviating laterally, away from midline
Coxa valga
- Increase in the angle of inclination of the femur (angle more obtuse). >125
- Affected limb will be lengthened
- Because of the more obtuse angle of inclination of the femur, the distal end of the femur deviates away from midline.
angle of inclination of femur
Babies: about 150
Adults 120-125. Larger in females
Q angle
Angle between a line passing from the ASIS to the patella (long axis of femur) and a line from the patella through the tibial tuberosity (long axis of knee).
Normally about 14° in males and 17° in females.
Genu Varum
Decrease in Q angle
Occurs concomitantly with coxa valgum, in which the femur is abnormally vertical (bow-legged)
The line of weight-bearing falls on medial side of knee; which results in abnormal wear and tear on the medial side of the knee (arthrosis of medial knee cartilages) and stretching of the fibular collateral ligament.
Affected limb is lengthened.
Genu valgum
Increase in the Q angle
Occurs concomitantly with coxa vara, in which the femur is abnormally inclined (knock-kneed).
The line of weight bearing falls on lateral side of the knee; which results in abnormal wear and tear on the lateral side of the knee (arthrosis of lateral knee cartilages) and stretching of the tibial collateral ligament.
Affected limb is shortened
Hyper-inversion injuries of the ankle
- Typically, result in sprain of the anterior talofibular portion of the lateral ligament.
- In severe strains, the lateral malleolus may also be fractured as the calcaneus is forcibly pushed laterally.
Hyper-eversion injuries
- Often result in Pott fracture-dislocation
- Medial malleolus is fractured as calcaneus is forcibly pushed medially.
- Lateral malleolus or fibula is also fractured as the talus is forced laterally.
- Sometimes the posterior portion of the distal tibia is also sheared off, resulting in a trimalleolar fracture.
Hallux valgus
AKA Bunion
- Deformity of big toe, resulting from ill-fitting footwear or degenerative joint disease.
- Results in a lateral deviation of toe
- In some cases, the big toe will actually overlap the second toe.
- Sometimes results in decrease in medial longitudinal arch of foot.
- In addition, many people will develop a bursitis against the medial side of the big foot.
Hammer toe
- Causes: arthritis/congenital deformity/sometimes from ill-fitting footwear
- Proximal phalanx of toe is hyperextended
- Middle phalanx is hyperflexed
- Distal phalanx is over hyperextended
Claw toes
- Proximal phalanx of toe is hyperextended
2. Middle and distal phalanges are hyperflexed