Musculoskeletal Disorders Flashcards
What is torticollis?
Torticollis is abnormal position of head and neck, due to unilateral contracture of sternocleidomastoid muscle that may be:
- congenital (most common)
- aquired
- atlantoaxial rotary subluxation (which is a displacement of C1 on C2)
What are the 5 etiological origins of torticollis?
- Compartment syndrome due to soft tissue compression of neck at time of delivery
- occlusion of venous outflow of sternocleidomastoid muscle
- Uterine crowding
- Neurogenic myopathy from trauma or ischemia
- Sterncleidomastoid muscle tumor
Signs and Symptoms of Torticollis?
- Child’s head tilted toward side of contracture
- chin rotated away from contracted side (origin of muscle on mastoid process)
Ddx for torticollis?
- Central nervous system tumors
- Syringomyelia
- Arnold-chiari malformation
- Ocular dysfunctions
- Paroxysmal torticollis of infancy
- Klippel-Feil syndrome
What are three physical findings of torticollis?
- Contracture of one of sternocleidomastoid muscles
- Fusiform, firm mass or “tumor”
- In body of contracted muscle
- Palable after 4 weeks of age, then recedes
- Plagiocephaly or asymmetry of face/skull development present with progressive deformity
How do you diagnose torticollis?
- Cervical radiograph
- to r/o congenital spine abnormalities (hemivertebrae)
- Hip ultrasound or x-ray, depending on age of child, to r/o DDH
- Other imaging ( MRI or CT scan) not indicated- abnormalities not detected unless neurogenic pathology (rare) exists
How do you manage torticollis?
- Conservative measures- initial treatment
- stretching exercises
- encourage infant stretching by placing toys, mobiles, items of interest in infant’s line of vision on the affected side
- Surgery recommended when
- defect persists beyond 1 year of age
- stretching exercises have been unsuccessful
- infant btw 1 - 4 years of age; best outcome for surgical release
What is Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip (DDH)?
DDH is abnormal development dislocation of the hip(s) or ligamentous laxity that is congenital, but may not be recognized until ambulation occurs.
What is the etiology of DDH?
- Intrauterine mechanical factors: breech presentation and infants w/oligohydramnios
- Genetic effects in primary acetabular dysplasia
- Increased incidence in first-born caucasian infants
DDH is more prevalent in which gender?
females and left hop involved more commonly than right
When are s/s of DDH detected?
Is either detected at birth or later on when infant is trying to ambulate
Signs and symptoms of DDH at birth?
Newborns
- instability w/o significant fixed deformity
- detected during newborn examination
What if DDH is undetected at birth?
- Untreated dislocation becomes fixed, with less instability, more limitation of movement (abduction)
- Limp noticeable at onset of walking
Ddx of DDH?
- leg length discrepancy
- Innocent hip “click”- not associated with movement of femoral head
- Arthrogryposis
- Cerebral Palsy
- Fracture of femur
What is the galeazzi sign?
It is a physical finding for infants with DDH.
- It’s knee height comparison w/infant in supine position with flexed hips/knees
- Asymmetry evident in DDH
- Shortening of the femoral segment limits abduction and full extension
- Not helpful finding for detecting bilateral dislocation