MUSCULOSKELETAL EXAM QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
What are the four major things we do during an extremity exam - Answers- 1) Inspect
areas
2) Palpate areas
3) look at range of motion
4) strength test
What is the difference between active an passive motion - Answers- active motion:
when the patient engages the muscle group to move a joint
Passive: when the patient is put through motions by the physician
How can you use active and passive motion to diagnoses muscle and tendon vs joint
issues - Answers- Active motion pain but no passive motion pain means a muscle or
tendon issue
Active and passive motion patin indicates join issues
What questions do you ask during a musculoskeletal history - Answers- 1) any
weakness
2) any stiffness
3) any decreased range of motion
4) any crepitus (clicking and crunching)
5) what is your occupation
What are you looking for when palpating a joint - Answers- 1) Heat/tenderness/swelling
2) crepitus
3) spasms
4) tender spots
When palpating a joint for heat why would you use the back of the hand - Answers- it is
more sensitive to temperature
, Spasms are seen the most during what types of exams - Answers- back and neck
exams
What are different area of the musculoskeletal system you perform your exam on -
Answers- 1) TMJ
2) Cervical spine
3) Shoulder
4) Elbow
5) Wrist and Hand
6) Lumbar spine
7) Hips
8) Knee
9) Ankel
Go through your musculoskeletal exam method when looking at the TMJ - Answers-
Inspect: chin height
Palpate: palpate joint space by placing your fingers in front of the tragus and seeing if
your fingers will fall into the space when patient opens mouth.
ROM: ask patient to open and close mouth, protrude and retract, and lateral moments
Strength: palpate the temporals and master muscles when the patient bites down and
make sure there is equal strength on each side
Crepitus felt when palpating the TMJ joint is common in people that do what - Answers-
grind their teeth (bruxism)
Go through your musculoskeletal exam method when looking at the cervical spine -
Answers- Palpate: feel along the spinal cord looking for pain and tenderness at each
vertebrae
ROM: ask patient to move chin to chest, eyes to the ceiling, eat to shoulder, and rotate
left and rite
What is the most flexible joint in the body - Answers- the shoulder
Name the rotator cuff muscle and their actions - Answers- Supraspinatus: abduction
What are the four major things we do during an extremity exam - Answers- 1) Inspect
areas
2) Palpate areas
3) look at range of motion
4) strength test
What is the difference between active an passive motion - Answers- active motion:
when the patient engages the muscle group to move a joint
Passive: when the patient is put through motions by the physician
How can you use active and passive motion to diagnoses muscle and tendon vs joint
issues - Answers- Active motion pain but no passive motion pain means a muscle or
tendon issue
Active and passive motion patin indicates join issues
What questions do you ask during a musculoskeletal history - Answers- 1) any
weakness
2) any stiffness
3) any decreased range of motion
4) any crepitus (clicking and crunching)
5) what is your occupation
What are you looking for when palpating a joint - Answers- 1) Heat/tenderness/swelling
2) crepitus
3) spasms
4) tender spots
When palpating a joint for heat why would you use the back of the hand - Answers- it is
more sensitive to temperature
, Spasms are seen the most during what types of exams - Answers- back and neck
exams
What are different area of the musculoskeletal system you perform your exam on -
Answers- 1) TMJ
2) Cervical spine
3) Shoulder
4) Elbow
5) Wrist and Hand
6) Lumbar spine
7) Hips
8) Knee
9) Ankel
Go through your musculoskeletal exam method when looking at the TMJ - Answers-
Inspect: chin height
Palpate: palpate joint space by placing your fingers in front of the tragus and seeing if
your fingers will fall into the space when patient opens mouth.
ROM: ask patient to open and close mouth, protrude and retract, and lateral moments
Strength: palpate the temporals and master muscles when the patient bites down and
make sure there is equal strength on each side
Crepitus felt when palpating the TMJ joint is common in people that do what - Answers-
grind their teeth (bruxism)
Go through your musculoskeletal exam method when looking at the cervical spine -
Answers- Palpate: feel along the spinal cord looking for pain and tenderness at each
vertebrae
ROM: ask patient to move chin to chest, eyes to the ceiling, eat to shoulder, and rotate
left and rite
What is the most flexible joint in the body - Answers- the shoulder
Name the rotator cuff muscle and their actions - Answers- Supraspinatus: abduction
