MSK HISTORY TAKING Flashcards
What should you ask in an MSK History ?
- Do you have any back pain or stiffness in your muscles, joints or back?
- Can you dress yourself completely without any difficulty ?
- Can you go up and down the stairs without any difficulty ?
- Is there any history of trauma and mechanism of injury ?
A patient who has no pain or stiffness, and no difficulty with dressing or with climbing stairs is unlikely to be suffering from any significant musculoskeletal disorder.
Why do you ask if the patient can dress themselves completely without any difficulty ?
Why do you ask about any back pain or stiffness in muscles, joints or back?
Muscle stiffness most commonly arises after the overuse of skeletal muscles, which tends to happen after a long period of minimal motion (e.g., after extended bed rest) or after engaging in new exercises. These actions can cause temporary damage to the muscle cells, leading to stiffness.
In general, inflammatory arthritis is associated with prolonged morning stiffness which is generalised and may last for several hours. The duration of the morning stiffness is a rough guide to the activity of the inflammation.
Non-inflammatory arthritis, such as osteoarthritis of the knee, tends to cause localised stiffness which may be short-lasting (less than 30 minutes) but can recur after sitting for short periods.
With inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, where joint destruction occurs over a prolonged period, the inflammatory component may eventually become less active and give way to secondary mechanical pain as a result of the damage. It is therefore sometimes difficult for patients to distinguish between pain and stiffness, so your questions will need to be specific.
Why do you ask your patient if they can go up and down the stairs without any difficulty ?
Why do you ask if there any history of trauma and mechanism of injury ?
