MSK Exam

Question 1

What are some considerations for Mechanism of injury (MOI)?

Answer 1

Mechanism of injury (MOI)
(a) Direct Trauma
(b) Overuse/Overstretch
(c) Sudden change in direction
(d) Forceful contraction

Question 2

What are some characteristics for Joint Symptoms?

Answer 2

a) Stiffness, swelling, or change in size
b) Unilateral or bilateral involvement
c) Constant pain or related to activities
d) Locking or giving away

Question 3

What are some associated events to consider for MSK?

Answer 3

Associated events:
a) Activity, movements, weather

Question 4

What are some characteristics for Muscular Symptoms

Answer 4

a) Limitation of movement
b) Weakness or fatigue
c) Paralysis, spasms
d) Wasting (Atrophy)

Question 5

What are some precipitating factors for muscle injuries

Answer 5

Injury
Strenuous Activity
Sudden Movement
Stress

Question 6

What are some characteristics for Skeletal Symptoms

Answer 6

a) Difficulty with gait or limping
b) Numbness, tingling
c) Crepitus (cracking)
d) Deformity

Question 7

What are some associated events to consider for skeletal injury?

Answer 7

a) Injury
b) Recent fractures
c) Strenuous activity
d) Sudden movement
e) Stress

Question 8

Sensation at the time of the injury:

Answer 8

a) Click
b) Pop
c) Tearing
d) Numbness
e) Tingling
f) Catching
g) Locking
h) Grating
i) Snapping
j) Ability to bear weight

Question 9

Past Medical History (PMHx)

Answer 9

(1) Trauma
(2) Surgery
(3) Chronic Illness (e.g., arthritis and osteoporosis)
(4) Skeletal deformities or congenital anomalies.

Question 10

Family History (FHx)

Answer 10

Family History (FHx)
(1) Congenital abnormalities
(2) Scoliosis or back problems
(3) Joint Disorders

Question 11

What are some examples of joint disorders?

Answer 11

(a) Arthritis
1) Rheumatoid
2) Osteoarthritis
(b) Gout

Question 12

What is an example of a genetic disorder?

Answer 12

Skeletal Dsyplasia

Question 13

Personal and Social History (SocHx)

Answer 13

Employment
(a) Lifting
(b) Potential for unintentional injury
(c) Repetitive motions
(d) Chronic stress on joints
(e) Typing / computer use

Question 14

Exercise

Answer 14

(a) Extent, type, frequency
(b) Weight bearing, stress on specific joints
(c) Overall conditioning

Question 15

Sports

Answer 15

Sports
1) Level of competition, shoe type, athletic gear
2) Warm-up / cool down routines

Question 16

Exam Equipment

Answer 16

(1) Marking pencil
(2) Goniometer
(3) Tape measure
(4) Reflex hammer
(5) Monofilament
(6) Paper clip

Question 17

What are you inspecting during an MSK exam

Answer 17

1. Posture
2. Extremities
3. Skin and Subcutaneous Tissues
4. Muscles

Question 18

During inspection under posture, what are you observing?

Answer 18

(a) Inspect anterior, posterior, and lateral aspect of the posture
(b) Observe ability to stand, sit, walk

Question 19

During inspection under extremities, what are you observing?

Answer 19

(a) Overall size
(b) Gross deformities
(c) Bony enlargement
(d) Alignment
(e) Contour

Question 20

During inspection under Skin and Subcutaneous Tissues, what are you observing?

Answer 20

(a) Discolorations
(b) Swelling
(c) Masses

Question 21

During inspection under muscles, what are you observing?

Answer 21

(a) Gross hypertrophy or atrophy
1) Atrophy results from pain, disease to the muscle or damage to the motor neuron
(b) Fasciculations
1) Results from injury to muscle’s motor neuron
(c) Spasms
(d) Overall Symmetry
1) Dominant extremities are expected to be larger.
2) There is no absolute bilateral muscle symmetry.

Question 22

Palpation
All bones joints and surrounding muscles noting:

Answer 22

(a) Swelling
(b) Heat
(c) Fluctuation (associated with effusion)
(d) Pain
(e) Resistance to pressure
(f) Muscle Tone
(g) Tenderness
(h) Crepitus

Question 23

1) Can be felt when two irregular bone surfaces rub together.
2) Can be felt when tendon moves inside the tendon sheath with tenosynovitis.

Answer 23

Crepitus

Question 24

What should you note during range of motion

Answer 24

(a) Pain
(b) Limitation of motion
(c) Spastic movement
(d) Joint instability
(e) Deformity
(f) Contractures

Question 25

What is used to precisely measure joint angles?

Answer 25

A goniometer

Question 26

Muscle weakness may result from:

Answer 26

(a) Disuse atrophy
(b) Pain
(c) Fatigue
(d) Overstretching