MSK & Sports Flashcards
Valgus of the knee
“knock kneed” and lower leg is abducted; can arise from MCL tear
Varus of the knee
“bow legged” and lower leg is adducted
ACL injury
anterior cruciate ligament; most commonly injured knee ligament; often a NONCONTACT athletic injury (running/jumping); classical senses a “pop” in knee
test for anterior drawer sign; resists anterior draw of the tibia
PCL injury
posterior cruciate ligament; often from trauma (force directed posteriorly at knee); classic cause “dashboard injury” where the knee goes into the dashboard in a MVC; test w the posterior drawer sign
MCL injury
medial collateral ligament; damaged by valgus stress; can be due to contact or non-contact; presents as an abnormal passive abduction; force from lateral side - push knee medial
Unhappy triad
injury common in contact sports; lateral force applied to a planted foot
ACL, MCL and medial meniscal tear
*more commonly the lateral meniscus in modern studies
LCL injury
lateral collateral ligament; very rare because you would have to get in-between the legs and apply medial force; presents as abnormal passive adduction
McMurray test
test for the meniscus tear; pt is supine with flexed (bent) knee and examiner coating the foot
internal rotation test for lateral meniscus (foot toward midline)
external rotation test for medial meniscus (foot away from midline)
Prepatellar Bursitis
inflammation of the pre patellar bursa; often caused by repeated kneeling “housemaid’s knee”; pain w activity; there will be swelling anterior to patella and warmth
Baker’s cyst
Popliteal cyst (behind the knee); popliteal fluid collection in gastrocnemius-semimembranous bursa commonly communicating w synovial space and related to chronic joint disease
Osgood-Schlatter Disease
tibial tuberosity avulsion; occurs in children; pain and swelling at tibial tubercle from overuse
*secondary ossification center of tibia; child that presents w pain and swelling just below the kneecaps; it is self limited
Patellar fracture
results from trauma to knee; swollen and painful knee that *cannot extend against gravity
dx w x-ray
3 bones that makeup the shoulder joint
scapula, clavicle and humerus
Rotator cuff
4 muscles: SItS (small “t” is for teres minor)
Supraspinatus (suprascapular n.) - most commonly injuried (impingement of tendon); “swimmers” and “throwers” assessed by “empty/full can” test
Infraspinatus (suprasca pular n) - pitching injury
teres minor (axillary n) - adducts and laterally rotates arm
Subscapularis (upper and lower subscapular n) - adducts and medially rotates arm
Empty/Full can test
Supraspinatus (suprascapular n.) - most commonly injuried (impingement of tendon); “swimmers” and “throwers” assessed by “empty/full can” test
Supraspinatus m initiates abduction for the first 15 degree but the main mover is the deltoid m (axillary n) that moves the shoulder up to 90degress
Shoulder dislocation
trauma; anterior dislocation of the humeral head; commonly from getting tackled while throwing a football
axillary n injury (loss of sensation of the deltoid and weak abduction)
Humerus fracture
common in elderly falls; often occurs in the PROXIMAL humerus; blood supply from the axillary artery and disruption may lead to avascular necrosis of head; axillary n injury leads to loss of arm abduction (deltoid m)
Lateral epicondylitis
tennis elbow; tenderness of lateral epicondyle and proximal wrist *extensors; elbow pain w resisted wrist extension
repetitive extension due to “backhand shots”
Medial epicondylitis
golfer’s elbow; tenderness of medial epicondyle; pain w resisted wrist *flexion
repetitive flexion due to “forehand shots”
Nursemaid’s Elbow
radial head subluxation; partial dislocation caused by “axial traction” on a pronated forearm (arm is pulled when extended at elbow)
*annular ligament slips over head of radius (trapped in radiohumeral joint)
Supracondylar Fracture
most common pediatric elbow fracture (fall on outstretched arm); brachial artery may be injured and median nerve (travel together); often both are injured
Axillary nerve lesion
deltoid m (abduction 15-90 degrees); sensation to area over the deltoid; proximal humerus fracture (elderly falls) or dislocated shoulder
Radial nerve lesion
extensors to arm, wrist and fingers; triceps m (weakness w high up injury); “wrist drop” and sensory loss on back of hand; “Saturday night palsy” and crutches
*runs in spiral/radial groove - vulnerable to compression
Musculocutaneous nerve
lateral cord of brachial plexus (C5, C6 and C7); innervates the biceps and provides sensation to lateral forearm; lesions here are rare
Upper trunk lesion
Erb’s palsy or Upper plexus injury (C5-C6); caused by excessive angle at neck/shoulder; classic cause is *birth trauma - shoulder dystocia
arm is straight at side; internally rotates (hand facing out) “waiter’s tip”
Lower trunk lesion
Klumpke palsy or Lower plexus injury (C8-T1); caused by excessive abduction of arm; classic cause is catching a tree branch while falling
affects the ulnar and median nerves; results in “clawed hand”
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
compression of nerves/vessels leaving thorax; occurs above 1st rib and behind clavicle “thoracic outlet”
Causes: cervical rib - an extra rib from the 7th cervical vertebrae
Long Thoracic Nerve lesion
innervates serrates anterior muscle and presents w winging of scapula
Scaphoid bone injury
most commonly fractured carpal bone; palpable in anatomic snuff box; classically from FOOSH injury (falling on out-stretched hand); complications: avascular necrosis and nonunion (failure to heal)
Lunate bone injury
caused by trauma or fall; attached to radius; presents w a wrist is painful or swollen; can lead to carpal tunnel
carpal tunnel syndrome
transverse carpal ligament (flexor retinaculum) carpal bones are inferior along with the *median nerve
motor loss to thumb side and sensory loss on thumb side (thenar eminence and lateral 3 1/2 fingers)
hallmark: pain or paresthesia over median n distribution
carpal tunnel and acromegaly
GH excess in adults; enlarged jaw and coarse facial features; enlarged hands and feet (rings that no longer fit); 1/3 have carpal tunnel syndrome
Dialysis-related amyloidosis
amyloid deposits from B2 microglobulin (MHC I); complications of renal failure; dialysis does not effectively remove the B2 micro globulin and it deposits in bones, joints and tendons; can cause carpal tunnel syndrome
Guyon’s canal
ulnar canal; ABOVE the transverse carpal ligament (median n is below) passage of the ulnar nerve via the hook of the hamate (hamate bone injury); loss of abduction/adduction (interossei), motor/sensory loss of little finger (hypothenar muscles)
overuse of the wrist; commonly reported in bicyclists (direct pressure from handlebars)
Greenstick Fracture
pediatric fracture; bent bone from a fracture; fracture *does not extend through width of the bone; there is a bending force (from side) applied to bone
Torus fracture
pediatric fracture; “buckle fracture” caused by axial force trauma; occurs in distal metaphysis (most porous bone)
Lumbricals
originate from tendons of the *flexor digitorum profundus; flex MCP and extend IP (form L shape of hand); lesion takes form of claw fingers - partial based on which nerve is injuried
medial two lumbricals: ulnar n
lateral two lumbirical: median n
Flexor carpi radialis innervation
innervated by median nerve (a major flexor of the wrist) the flexor carpi ulnaris (ulnar n)
Median nerve lesions
“pope’s blessing” also called Hand of Benediction; ask pt to make a fist and thumb and lateral fingers cannot
at rest “ape hand”
Recurrent branch of the median nerve
motor innervation to thenar muscles (NO sensory); covers carpal tunnel and can be injured in *superficial laceration; immobilizes the thumb but sensation is NORMAL
iliohypogastric nerve
T12-L1; motor innervation to internal oblique and transversus abdominis and sensory to suprepubic region (below umbilicus and above pubic bone)
commonly injured in abdominal/pelvic surgery; radiates to suprapubic area
Genitofemoral nerve
L1-L2 provides motor innervation to cremasteric muscle (covers testis and spermatic cord)
genital branch - skin anterior scotum (males) and skin over mons pubis and labia majora (female)
femoral branch - skin upper anterior thigh
presents: absent cremasteric reflex (stroke inner thigh and scotum rises on I/p side); decreased sensation of anterior thigh