Musculoskeletal injuries and mobility care
150 practice questions with answer rationales
COURSE Musculoskeletal injuries and mobility
QUESTIONS 150
PREPARED August 2026
,Musculoskeletal injuries and mobility
Exam Overview
This academic exam resource gives Nursing School a focused 150-question practice set for
Musculoskeletal injuries and mobility. The material is written to support careful review, practical
reasoning, and steady preparation without promotional claims or repeated title wording. Questions use
clear professional language, credible answer choices, and concise rationales that help students
understand why one option is best. The document provides high-quality academic material for
independent revision, classroom reinforcement, and identifying knowledge gaps before assessments.
Students should pair it with course notes, textbooks, instructor guidance, and current academic
standards for the strongest preparation. Each item supports careful review, confident practice, and.
Question 1: Which finding after a fall suggests a possible fracture rather than a simple
sprain?
A. Mild swelling that improves with rest
B. Point tenderness with visible deformity
C. Muscle soreness only during movement
D. Bruising without loss of function
Answer: B
Rationale: Visible deformity with focal tenderness is more concerning for fracture and needs prompt
assessment.
Question 2: A patient twists an ankle during exercise. What is the best first nursing action?
A. Apply heat and encourage walking
B. Massage the area to reduce stiffness
C. Elevate the limb and apply cold therapy
D. Place the ankle in a dependent position
Answer: C
Rationale: Cold therapy and elevation help reduce swelling and pain in the acute phase.
Question 3: Which finding is most consistent with a muscle strain rather than a ligament
sprain?
A. Pain localized to the muscle after overstretching
B. Joint instability after a twisting injury
C. Bony deformity with crepitus
D. Immediate loss of distal pulse
Answer: A
Rationale: A strain involves injury to muscle or tendon, so localized muscle pain after overstretching
fits best. Joint instability is more typical of a sprain, while deformity and absent pulse suggest more
serious fracture or vascular injury.
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,Musculoskeletal injuries and mobility
Question 4: When teaching crutch walking, which instruction is correct?
A. Support weight on the axillae
B. Keep elbows slightly flexed when holding the handgrips
C. Move both crutches ahead before the legs
D. Place the crutches far in front of the feet
Answer: B
Rationale: Slight elbow flexion improves support and helps prevent pressure on the axillae.
Question 5: Which instruction is appropriate for a patient with an acute ankle sprain
during the first 24 hours?
A. Apply heat and perform vigorous stretching
B. Keep the joint dependent to promote circulation
C. Use rest, ice, compression, and elevation
D. Massage the area until swelling decreases
Answer: C
Rationale: Rest, ice, compression, and elevation reduce swelling and limit further tissue injury during
the acute phase. Heat, massage, and vigorous stretching can increase bleeding and edema early after
injury.
Question 6: Which complication is associated with prolonged immobility?
A. Improved joint flexibility
B. Increased bone density
C. Enhanced lung expansion
D. Risk for venous stasis
Answer: D
Rationale: Immobility slows circulation and increases the risk of venous stasis and clot formation.
Question 7: Which device is used to immobilize a fractured extremity while allowing for
some swelling?
A. Circular cast
B. Splint
C. Elastic bandage only
D. Traction boot
Answer: B
Rationale: A splint is commonly used for initial immobilization because it supports the injury
without fully encasing the limb. A circular cast may be too restrictive before swelling has peaked.
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, Musculoskeletal injuries and mobility
Question 8: Which symptom is an early warning sign of compartment syndrome?
A. Pain out of proportion to the injury
B. Reduced appetite
C. Fever and chills
D. Itching at the injury site
Answer: A
Rationale: Severe pain that seems greater than expected is an early indicator of increased
compartment pressure.
Question 9: A patient has a suspected fracture of the arm. What should the nurse do first?
A. Assess circulation, movement, and sensation
B. Encourage active range of motion
C. Apply a heating pad
D. Raise the arm above shoulder level immediately
Answer: A
Rationale: Neurovascular assessment is a priority to detect compromised blood flow or nerve
function.
Question 10: A patient in skeletal traction reports numbness in the toes of the affected leg.
What is the nurse's priority action?
A. Reposition the weights higher on the frame
B. Assess neurovascular status of the limb
C. Document the symptom as expected
D. Encourage active range-of-motion exercises
Answer: B
Rationale: New numbness in traction can indicate neurovascular compromise, so the nurse should
assess circulation, sensation, movement, and pulses immediately. Moving the weights or promoting
exercise does not address the potential complication.
Question 11: Which assessment finding is a classic sign of compartment syndrome?
A. Pain out of proportion to the injury
B. Warm skin over the cast
C. Slow capillary refill in the uninjured arm
D. Itching under the cast
Answer: A
Rationale: Severe pain that seems greater than expected is an early hallmark of compartment
syndrome. Itching and mild warmth under a cast are common and do not indicate the same
Page 3 of 41
150 practice questions with answer rationales
COURSE Musculoskeletal injuries and mobility
QUESTIONS 150
PREPARED August 2026
,Musculoskeletal injuries and mobility
Exam Overview
This academic exam resource gives Nursing School a focused 150-question practice set for
Musculoskeletal injuries and mobility. The material is written to support careful review, practical
reasoning, and steady preparation without promotional claims or repeated title wording. Questions use
clear professional language, credible answer choices, and concise rationales that help students
understand why one option is best. The document provides high-quality academic material for
independent revision, classroom reinforcement, and identifying knowledge gaps before assessments.
Students should pair it with course notes, textbooks, instructor guidance, and current academic
standards for the strongest preparation. Each item supports careful review, confident practice, and.
Question 1: Which finding after a fall suggests a possible fracture rather than a simple
sprain?
A. Mild swelling that improves with rest
B. Point tenderness with visible deformity
C. Muscle soreness only during movement
D. Bruising without loss of function
Answer: B
Rationale: Visible deformity with focal tenderness is more concerning for fracture and needs prompt
assessment.
Question 2: A patient twists an ankle during exercise. What is the best first nursing action?
A. Apply heat and encourage walking
B. Massage the area to reduce stiffness
C. Elevate the limb and apply cold therapy
D. Place the ankle in a dependent position
Answer: C
Rationale: Cold therapy and elevation help reduce swelling and pain in the acute phase.
Question 3: Which finding is most consistent with a muscle strain rather than a ligament
sprain?
A. Pain localized to the muscle after overstretching
B. Joint instability after a twisting injury
C. Bony deformity with crepitus
D. Immediate loss of distal pulse
Answer: A
Rationale: A strain involves injury to muscle or tendon, so localized muscle pain after overstretching
fits best. Joint instability is more typical of a sprain, while deformity and absent pulse suggest more
serious fracture or vascular injury.
Page 1 of 41
,Musculoskeletal injuries and mobility
Question 4: When teaching crutch walking, which instruction is correct?
A. Support weight on the axillae
B. Keep elbows slightly flexed when holding the handgrips
C. Move both crutches ahead before the legs
D. Place the crutches far in front of the feet
Answer: B
Rationale: Slight elbow flexion improves support and helps prevent pressure on the axillae.
Question 5: Which instruction is appropriate for a patient with an acute ankle sprain
during the first 24 hours?
A. Apply heat and perform vigorous stretching
B. Keep the joint dependent to promote circulation
C. Use rest, ice, compression, and elevation
D. Massage the area until swelling decreases
Answer: C
Rationale: Rest, ice, compression, and elevation reduce swelling and limit further tissue injury during
the acute phase. Heat, massage, and vigorous stretching can increase bleeding and edema early after
injury.
Question 6: Which complication is associated with prolonged immobility?
A. Improved joint flexibility
B. Increased bone density
C. Enhanced lung expansion
D. Risk for venous stasis
Answer: D
Rationale: Immobility slows circulation and increases the risk of venous stasis and clot formation.
Question 7: Which device is used to immobilize a fractured extremity while allowing for
some swelling?
A. Circular cast
B. Splint
C. Elastic bandage only
D. Traction boot
Answer: B
Rationale: A splint is commonly used for initial immobilization because it supports the injury
without fully encasing the limb. A circular cast may be too restrictive before swelling has peaked.
Page 2 of 41
, Musculoskeletal injuries and mobility
Question 8: Which symptom is an early warning sign of compartment syndrome?
A. Pain out of proportion to the injury
B. Reduced appetite
C. Fever and chills
D. Itching at the injury site
Answer: A
Rationale: Severe pain that seems greater than expected is an early indicator of increased
compartment pressure.
Question 9: A patient has a suspected fracture of the arm. What should the nurse do first?
A. Assess circulation, movement, and sensation
B. Encourage active range of motion
C. Apply a heating pad
D. Raise the arm above shoulder level immediately
Answer: A
Rationale: Neurovascular assessment is a priority to detect compromised blood flow or nerve
function.
Question 10: A patient in skeletal traction reports numbness in the toes of the affected leg.
What is the nurse's priority action?
A. Reposition the weights higher on the frame
B. Assess neurovascular status of the limb
C. Document the symptom as expected
D. Encourage active range-of-motion exercises
Answer: B
Rationale: New numbness in traction can indicate neurovascular compromise, so the nurse should
assess circulation, sensation, movement, and pulses immediately. Moving the weights or promoting
exercise does not address the potential complication.
Question 11: Which assessment finding is a classic sign of compartment syndrome?
A. Pain out of proportion to the injury
B. Warm skin over the cast
C. Slow capillary refill in the uninjured arm
D. Itching under the cast
Answer: A
Rationale: Severe pain that seems greater than expected is an early hallmark of compartment
syndrome. Itching and mild warmth under a cast are common and do not indicate the same
Page 3 of 41
