Upper Limb Ortho Flashcards
What are the functions of the upper limb?
Protection.
Actions & detexerity.
Mobility.
What bones are involved in the upper limb?
Shoulder girdle (clavicle, scapula).
Humerus.
Radius.
Ulna.
Wrist.
Carpus.
Hand.
What injury is the acromioclavicular joint susceptible to?
Dislocation.
Which muscles move the shoulder girdle?
Superficial (extrinsic) muscles of the back.
What are the origin, insertions and innervation of the trapezius muscle?
Origin: spinous processes (C1-T12).
Insertions: occiput, spine of scapula.
Innervation: accessory nerve (CN XI).
What are the functions of the trapezius?
Elevates and depresses scapula.
Retracts scapula.
How is trapezius function tested?
Shrug shoulders.
What pathologies can occur at the glenero-humeral joint?
Osteoarthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis.
Dislocation.
Adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder).
What is the purpose of the labrum in the glenoero-humeral joint?
Increases capture of the humeral head -> increases stability of the joint.
What injuries can cause a slap tear of the labrum in the glenero-humeral joint?
Throwing injuries e.g. throwing a ball in baseball.
What injuries can cause a bankart tear of the labrum in the glenero-humeral joint?
Often occur from an anterior dislocation and can tear off a bit of glenoid bone during the process.
What is the function of the rotator cuff muscles?
Stabilise the shoulder girdle.
Move the arm.
Which muscles are your rotator cuff muscles?
Subscapularis.
Supraspinatous.
Infraspinatous.
Teres minor.
What are the origin, insertion and innervation of the supraspinatus muscle?
Origin: supraspinatus fossa.
Insertion: greater tuberosity of humerus.
Innervation: suprascapular nerve (C5/C6).
What is the function of the supraspinatus muscle?
Abducts arm.
What are the origin, insertion and innervation of the infraspinatus muscle?
Origin: infraspinatus fossa.
Insertion: greater tuberosity of humerus.
Innervation: suprascapular nerve (C5/C6).
What is the function of the infraspinatus muscle?
Externally rotates the arm.
What are the origin, insertion and innervation of the teres minor muscle?
Origin: dorsal surface of lateral border of scapula.
Insertion: greater tuberosity of humerus.
Innervation: axillary nerve (C5/C6).
What is the function of the teres minor muscle?
Externally rotates the arm.
What are the origin, insertion and innervation of the subscapularis muscle?
Origin: anterior surface of scapula (subscapular fossa).
Insertion: lesser tuberosity of humerus/shoulder capsule.
Innervation: upper and lower subscapular nerve (C5/C6).
What is the function of the subscapularis?
Internally rotates the arm.
What pathologies can occur in the rotator muscles?
Tears.
Impingement.
What are the origin, insertion and innervation of the deltoid muscle?
Origin: clavicle, acromion, spine of scapula.
Insertion: deltoid tuberosity on lateral aspect of humerus.
Innervation: axillary nerve (C5/C6).
What is the function of the deltoid muscle?
Abducts the arm.
What are the origin, insertion and innervation of the biceps brachii muscle?
Origin: coracoid process (short head); labrum/glenoid (long head).
Insertion: tuberosity of radius.
Innervation: musculocutaneous nerve (C5/C6).
What are the functions of the biceps brachii?
Flexes elbow.
Supinates forearm.
What pathologies is the biceps brachii susceptible to?
Tendonitis.
Tendon rupture.
What pathologies is the elbow joint susceptible to?
Radial head/neck fractures.
Osteoarthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis.
Elbow dislocation.
Olecranon fracture.
Which direction does an elbow dislocation typically occur in?
Ulnar dislocates posteriorly.
What pathology is the supracondylar region of the elbow susceptible to?
Fractures, particularly in children.
What pathology tends to occur in the olecranon bursa?
Bursitis.
What ligaments are found in the elbow?
Medial (ulnar) collateral ligament (posterior and anterior bundle).
Lateral (radial) collateral ligament.
Annular ligament (encircles radius).
What is the importance of the lateral epicondyle?
Site of insertion for all of the extensor muscles of the forearm.
Susceptible to enthesiopathies (lateral epicondylitis - Tennis elbow).
What is the importance of the medial epicondyle?
Site of insertion for all of the flexor muscle of the forearm.
Susceptible to enthesiopathies (medial epicondylitis - Golfer’s elbow).
What is the alternative name given to the extensor compartment of the forearm?
Dorsal compartment of the forearm.
What is the alternative name given to the flexor compartment of the forearm?
Volar compartment of the forearm.
Which direction is the palm when it is in supination?
Supination - palm is up because you’re accepting a bowl of soup.
Which direction is the palm when it is in pronation?
Pronation - palm is down.
Which bones in the body have a retrograde blood supply (doubles back on itself)?
Scaphoid.
Talus.
Femur.
Where are intrinsic muscles of the hand found and what is their function?
Located within the hand itself.
Responsible for the fine motor functions of the hand.
Where are extrinsic muscles of the hand found and what is their function?
Located in the anterior and posterior compartments of the forearm.
Control finger flexion and extension, and movements of the wrist.
What are the thenar muscles?
Opponens pollicis.
Flexor pollicis brevis.
Abductor pollicis brevis.
What is the function of the thenar muscles and what is their innervation?
Move the thumb.
Median nerve.
Which muscles are the hypothenar muscles?
Abductor digiti minimi.
Flexor digiti minimi brevis.
What is the function and innervation of the hypothenar muscles?
Move the little finger.
Ulnar nerve.
What is the function of the interossei muscles?
Flex the fingers at the MCPs.
Extend the fingers at the IPJs.
What is the innervation of the interossei muscles?
Ulnar nerve.
What is the action of the dorsal interossei muscles?
4 dorsal interossei muscles.
Abduct the fingers at the MCPJs.
DAB.
What is the action of the palmar interossei muscles?
3 palmar interossei muscles.
Adduct the fingers at the MCPJs.
PAD.
What is the innervation of the flexor digitorum superificialis?
Median nerve (C7/C8/T1).
What are the flexor tendons of the hand?
Flexor digitorum superficialis - flexes fingers at PIPJs.
Flexor digitorum profundus - flexes fingers at DIPJs.
What is the innervation of the flexor digitorum profundus?
Median nerve (via interosseus; C8/T1) - 2nd and 3rd digits.
Ulnar nerve (C8/T1) - 4th and 5th digits.
What are the annular ligaments and what is their function?
5 of them.
A2 and A4 are critical to prevent bowstringing.
A1, A3 and A5 over the MP, PIP and DIP joints, respectively.
Which annular ligament is most commonly involved in trigger finger?
A1.
Can be injected with steroids or released surgically for trigger finger treatment.
What is the function of the cruciate pulleys in the fingers?
Prevent sheath collapse and expansion during digital motion.
What is the purpose of the palmar fascia?
Separates the palmar muscle bellies and flexor tendons from the skin.
What pathologies is the palmar fascia susceptible to?
Hypertrophy and fibrosis (Dupuytren’s contracture).
How are the arteries and nerves in the digits named?
Named after the side of the digit, not the artery they originate from e.g. ulnar digital artery is found on the ulnar side of the finger.
Which areas of the hand test for cutaneous sensation of the median nerve?
Tip of the index finger and base of the thenar muscles.
Which areas of the hand test for cutaneous sensation of the ulnar nerve?
Dorsum and volar aspects of the little finger.
Which areas of the hand test for cutaneous sensation of the radial nerve?
Dorsum of first webspace.
Where could right shoulder tip pain be coming from other than MSK?
Gallbladder.
During physical examination of shoulder pain, what do you look for?
Watch how the patient undresses.
Check both shoulders (? asymmetry).
Deformity.
Scars.
During physical examination of shoulder pain, what do you feel for?
Bony landmarks.
Any tenderness.
Check axilla.
Get patient to pinpoint site of pain
During physical examination of shoulder pain, what do you move?
Abduction (check scapular movement).
Active and passive.
External rotation.
Internal rotation.
What is the management of shoulder pain in GP setting?
Explanation of problem.
Mobilise as early as possible.
NSAIDs - in the short-term.
Local steroid injection.
Physiotherapy.
Time (months to years to resolve).
Referral if not resolving, instability.
What are the common shoulder problems seen in GP setting?
Rotator cuff problems esp. supraspinatus tendonitis (35-65 years).
Sub-acromial bursitis.
Acromioclavicular disease (trauma in young adults, arthritis in older adults).
What are the less common shoulder problems seen in GP setting?
Frozen shoulder (age 40-60, more common in diabetics).
Osteoarthritis/rheumatoid arthritis.
Recurrent dislocation.
Where is subacromial pain often felt?
In the deltoid region.
Why could there be muscle loss due to chronic pain?
Nerve impingement causing muscle wasting.
Atrophy due to disuse.
Tendon of the muscle ruptures.
What are the causes of arthritis?
Degenerate (osteoarthritis).
Inflammatory (rheumatoid, psoriatic arthritis, gout).
Post-traumatic (mainly osteoarthritis).
Septic.
What are the basic treatment principles of arthritis in an upper limb joint?
Nothing.
Rest/analgesia/splintage.
Steroid injections (temporary; don’t do at similar time of replacement).
Replace.
Fuse.
Excise.
What is the treatment of arthritis in the sternoclavicular joint?
Physiotherapy.
Steroid injection.
Excision (rare - must be carried out somewhere with cardiothoracic surgeons due to major organs underlying).
What is the treatment of arthritis in the acromioclavicular joint?
Steroid injection.
Excision (Mumford procedure; as long as coraco ligaments are intact this is possible).
What can cause osteoarthritis in the glenohumeral joint?
Cuff tear.
Instability.
Previous surgery.
Idiopathic.