MSK Injuries Flashcards
What is the most common way for the MSK system to incur damage?
Forces generated by mechanical energy resulting in blunt force trauma.
Often painful but rarely life threatening.
What is a fracture?
Partial or complete break or disruption in bone tissue
What is a dislocation?
Displacement or separation of a bone from its normal position at a joint
What is a sprain?
Partial or complete tearing of ligaments & other tissues at a joint
What is a strain?
Excessive stretching or tearing of muscle or tendon fibers
What is an Occult fracture?
A fracture that is not visibly demonstrated but suspected based on clinical examination
What are the 5 most common S/S of MSK injuries?
- Pain
- Swelling
- Deformity
- Discolouration
- Inability or unwillingness to use affected body part
When would an MSK injury get elevated to an emergency situation?
- Bone protruding from skin
- Loss of sensation or circulation in extremity
- Cool to touch
- Long bone, pelvis or spine fractures
What is the acronym PRICE evolving into?
POLICE. In addition to Protection, Ice, Compression and Elevation, “Optimal Loading” has ben added to the acronym to remind and encourage clinicians to seek new innovative strategies for safe and effective loading in the recovery of soft tissue injury management.
What emergency care should be provided to someone with an MSK injury?
- Administer O2 as appropriate
- Control bleeding from open wounds
- Immobilize injuries in position found
- Elevate limb (if doing so does not cause further pain or injury)
- Apply ice (unless distal pulse is impaired)
Why is it important to immobilize the injury prior to transport?
- Reduce pain
- Reduce risk of hemorrhage
- Reduce potential loss of distal circulation
- Prevents further damage to soft tissue
- Prevents closed #’s from becoming open #’s
Why is the direction of a clavicle # relevant?
An anterior clavicle # poses little risk other than puncturing the skin. A posterior fracture faces the direction of the spinal and neck vessels and could easily cause internal hemorrhaging if severed.
Where is the clavicle most likely to fracture?
Middle third due to the curvature and smallest width
How may grades of Acromioclavicular separations are there?
Grade 1 -6
If an athlete resets their shoulder dislocation successfully (which ATs dont condone) what should you monitor?
Distal pulse on affected limb for 1 hour
