Clinical skills - Soft Tissue Flashcards
Causes of pain in a leg
Anatomical structures involved e.g. skin, bursa, tendons, muscles, ligaments
Procceses that can cause pain
Injury
Infection
Inflammation
Insidious (Tumour)
Causes of leg pain - skin
Cellulitis Bruise Bites Burns Haemosiderin Ingrowing nails Ulcers
Cellulitis
infection of staph or strep in the skin (gram +ve cocci or rods), draw black line on skin to see whether spreading
What is haemosiderin related to
Varicose veins
Bursa definition
Potential space w/ epithelial lining
Produces SF which reduces friction and trauma
Usual cause of bursitis
Overactivity - helped w/ physio (self-limited)
Common types of bursitis
Trochaneteric bursitis
Prepatellar bursitis
Anserine bursitis
Retrocalcaneal bursitis
Why does trocahnetic bursitis usually present in women
Shorter legs
DIff pelvis
Can be retrocalcaneal bursitis be treated w steroids
No as there is no tendon sheath
Tenosynovitis
Infl of tendon sheath
Local or part of a systemic illness such as RhA
Enthesiitis
Infl of the entheses, the sites where tendons or ligaments insert into the bone
Degenerative tendon conditions
Overuse of Achilles
Adductor tendinitis - tear
Cause of leg pain - muscles
Overuse Viral infections e.g. flu Cramp Claudication Muscle rupture/ tear e.g. hamstrings Chronic pain e.g. fibromyalgia, myofascial pain syndromes Alcohol and other drugs e.g. statins Endocrine causes e.g. hypothyroidism Infl diseases of muscles e.g. polymyositis, PMR Compartment syndrome
Cause of claudication
Due to lack of blood flow
Main ligaments causing pain in the leg
MCL
LCL
Ankle ligaments - after injury points can be repositioned
Treatment of ligament pain
RICE
Analgesia
Physio
Grade I lateral ankle sprain
Stretching small tears
Grade II lateral ankle sprain
Larger, but incomplete tear
Grade III lateral ankle strain
Complete tear
Causes of leg pain - blood vessels
Veins -varicose, superficial thrombophlebitis, DVT
Arteries – aneurysm, atheroma, PVD (peripheral vascular disease)
Risk factors of DVT
Sticky blood - birth control, smokers Obesity Immobility Pregnancy Ortho pt – pelvic surgeries Varicose veins
Causes of leg pain - nerves
Referred e.g. sciatica
Peripheral neuropathy
Entrapment e.g. meralgia paraesthetica
Causes of leg pain - lymph
Lymphoedema
Approach to limb pain
History
Examination
Investigations
Management of the problem
Leg pain hx
Localisation and nature Duration Onset e.g. trauma Pain history Relieving and exacerbating history
Leg pain examination
Look how the pt moves
Look at how ill the pt is e.g. systemically unwell
Look at the area Feel for tenderness around the joint Move joint Get pt to move Check for numbness and weakness
Hernia
Weakness of abdominal wall so bowel pushes through
Shoulder exam - look
Positioning – undress (vest top), standing, space
Anteriorly, posteriorly, laterally:
Skin
Posture and symmetry
Bony structure – clavicle, sternoclavicular joint, acromioclavicular joint, acromion, acromion process, scapula
Joint swelling
Muscle bulk – supraspinatus, infraspinatus, deltoid
Shoulder exam - feel
Ask if it hurts? Standing behind pt: Sternoclavicular joint Clavicle Acromioclavicular joint Acromion Coracoid process Greater tuberosity Scapula: spine, medial border, inferior angle
External rotation pain of shoulder - ddx
Usually OA
High painful arc (shoulder) - ddx
Pain in acromioclavicular joint - subacromial bursitis
Mid painful arc (shoulder) - ddx
Pain in sub acromion space - sulbcromial bursitis
Shoulder exam - feel
Ask if it hurts? Standing behind pt: Sternoclavicular joint Clavicle Acromioclavicular joint Acromion Coracoid process Greater tuberosity Scapula: spine, medial border, inferior angle
Shoulder exam - move
Compare both sides
Flexion Extension Adduction Adduction Internal and external rotation
If any active movement is reduced, test passive movements
Abduction - shoulder exam
Ask pt to lift arm out to side
Normal is 90 degrees w/out scapula or 180 w/ scapula
Adduction - shoulder exam
Ask pt to move arm across front of body
Normal is 40 degrees
Pain in resisted shoulder movements
Infraspinatus (external rotation)
Subscapularis (internal rotation)
Supraspinatus (abduction)
Deltoid (abduction)
Causes of olecranon bursitis
Trauma
Rheumatoid
Gout
Elbow exam - look
Positioning – undress, seated, space Anteriorly, posteriorly, laterally Skin/ soft tissue – olecranon bursa/ nodules Bone Joint swelling Muscle bulk
Elbow exam - feel
Olecranon process Lateral epicondyle of humerus Medial epicondyle of humerus Ulna Head of radius
Elbow exam - move
Flexion - ask pt to bend elbow
Extension - ask pt to straighten
Ptonation
Supination
Elbow exam - pronation
Ask the pt to bend elbow to 90 degrees of flexion and then turn arm over so palm faces the floor
Elbow exam - supination
Ask the pt to bend elbow to 90 degrees of flexion and then turn arm over so palm faces upwards
Pain in resisted elbow movements
Flexion (biceps)
Extension (biceps)
Supination (supinator)
Pronation (pronator)
Wrist exam - look
Positioning, undress, space Dorsal and palmar aspects: Skin – colour, scars, bruising, nails Posture and symmetry Bony structures Joint swelling Muscle bulk
Wrist exam - feel
Ask if it hurts? Temperature/ tenderness Feel: Head of ulnar Its styloid process Radius base Its styloid process
Wrist exam - move
Flexion
Extension – prayer sign
Abduction (radial) – 20 degrees
Adduction (ulnar) – 50 degrees
Hand exam - look
Skin Muscle Joints Posture Nails
Hand exam - skin
Erythema, redness, scars
Hand exam - muscle
Wasting in dorsal aspects
Hand exam - joints
Ulnar deviation, Z thumbs, subluxation of wrist, boutonnieres, swan neck deformity
Hand exam - nails
Oncolysis, pitting (PsA)
Hand exam - feel
Bimanually - soft tissue (synovitis) or. bony Pisiform bone Scaphoid (in anatomical snuffbox) MCP squeeze MCP joints PIP joints DIP joints
Condns to recognise from examination
Carpal tunnel
Ulnar nerve entrapment
Medial nerve entrapment
Radial nerve entrapment
Hand exam - move (fingers)
MCPs – flexion/ extension
DIPs – flexion/ extension
PIPs – flexion/ extension
Abduction/ adduction of fingers
Hand exam - move (thumb)
Flexion Extension Abduction Adduction Opposition
Pain in restricted movements - hand
Opposition – T1 (median nerve)
Finger abductions – T1 (median nerve)
Wrist extension – C8, T1 (radial nerve)
Power – make a fist
Examination of nerve function
Motor component and sensory component
Masses can be …
Origination or acquired
Where could potential lumps and bumps come from
Skin Fat Connective Tissue Muscles Bones Joints Nerve Blood vessels Lymphatic system Organs Metastases