Musculoskeletal Clinical Assessment Flashcards
What are the GALS Screening questions for musculoskeletal systematic enquiry?
Do you have any pain or stiffness in your muscles, joints or back?
Can you dress yourself completely without any difficulty?
Can you walk up and down stairs without any difficulty?
What are some orthopaedic symptoms?
Something feels wrong - Pain, dysaesthesiae, weakness.
Something moves wrong - stiffness, reduced range of movement, limp, instability, collapsing, crepitus.
Something looks wrong - swelling, deformity, wasting, shortening, discolouration, wounds.
What are some questions to ask patients about typical day activities to assess their severity of symptoms?
Wake at normal time, woken by pain etc. How are they first thing in the morning? Dressing - socks and shoelaces. Cut own toenails? Can they get in and out of a bath? How far can they walk? Do they need any walking aids?
What are the red flags from a history suggesting serious pathology?
Severe and worsening pain Night pain disturbing sleep Non-mechanical pain General malaise, febrile, rigors. Unexplained weight loss, anorexia, night sweats Past history of malignant disease.
What is MISTI THREAD for past medical history?
MI - MI S - stroke T- Thrombosis (DVT/PE) I- Icterus T - TB H - Hypertension R- Rheumatic fever E - epilepsy A - asthma D - diabetes
What is GALS screen?
Gait, Arms, Legs, Spine.
A rapid screening for MSK and neurological deficits and functional ability.
What is REMS?
Regional Examination of the Musculoskeletal system.
Starts with lower limb examination
What is genu valgum?
Knocked knees
What is genu varum?
Bow legged
What is genu recurvatum?
Hyperextension of the knee
What is the degree at each joint when it is in the anatomical position?
0 degrees.
What is the volar aspect of the hand?
Palm side.
What are some things you look for in an MSK examination?
Posture Gait Scars Wounds Sinuses Ulcers Colour Swelling Wasting Deformity Limb lengths
What are some things you feel in an MSK examination?
Skin temperature Capillary refill Tenderness Swelling Deformity
What are some things to test when you move a patient during an MSK examination?
Test both active and passively.
Range, rate and rhythm of movement. Muscle tone Strength Power Joint laxity and hyper mobility. Examine joints above and below.
