Orthopaedics & MSK — Flashcards

Flashcard 321: Rotator cuff disease presents on a spectrum, starting with _____ and ending with rotator cuff tear

Answer: rotator cuff tendinopathy

Flashcard 322: What is the management for an **acute/traumatic** suspected rotator cuff tear? _____

Answer: Refer urgently (2 week pathway) for surgical review

Extra: Acute traumatic tears (especially in symbols/younger patients) warrant urgent surgical assessment to prevent functional loss and fatty infiltration of the muscle. Chronic/degenerative tears are usually managed with physiotherapy first.

Flashcard 323: Initial investigation for a suspected meniscal tear: _____ (to rule out bony pathology).

Answer: X-ray knee

Extra: In clinical orthopaedics, the "initial" investigation refers to the first test performed (X-ray), while the "investigation of choice" or "gold standard" is MRI.

Flashcard 324: The _____ tendon is the largest tendon in the human body providing attachment of the converged soleus & gastrocneumius muscles to the calcaneus

Answer: achilles

Flashcard 325: Describe the Mill's test for lateral epicondylitis: _____

Answer: Palpate the lateral epicondyle with one hand, while pronating the patient's forearm, fully flexing the wrist, the elbow is extended. +ve result is production of pain in the lateral epicondyle If -ve, can ask the patient to extend the wrist with resistance

Flashcard 326: If injected corticosteroid results in no improvement of rotator cuff tendinopathy pain then suspect _____

Answer: rotator cuff tear

Flashcard 327: Lateral/medial epicondylitis is a _____ diagnosis

Answer: clinical

Flashcard 328: What tendon is most commonly involved in rotator cuff disease? _____

Answer: Supraspinatus

Flashcard 329: What does the drop arm test assess? _____

Answer: Rotator cuff tears (specifically full-thickness tears of the supraspinatus tendon)

Flashcard 330: What is the likely diagnosis in a patient with elbow pain that worsens with resisted wrist extension? _____

Answer: Lateral epicondylitis ("tennis elbow")