©THESTAR 2024/2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1:27PM. A+
Musculoskeletal USMLE Step 2 Exam
Questions And Answers |Latest 2025 |
Guaranteed Pass.
What type of shoulder dislocation is most common? - Answer✔Anterior
(posterior quite rare. Usually only assoc. with electrocution or seizure)
What nerve is most at risk in anterior shoulder dislocation? - Answer✔Axillary nerve
How will a patient usually hold their arm in an anterior dislocation of the shoulder? -
Answer✔Abduction and externally rotated
(opposite of posterior, where it is usually adducted and internally rotated)
What nerve is most at risk with anterior hip dislocation? - Answer✔Obturator
What is the most common type of hip dislocation? - Answer✔Posterior (>90%) - occurs via
posterior force on internally rotated, flexed, adducted hip ("dashboard injury")
What type of injury is associated with posterior hip dislocation? - Answer✔Sciatic nerve injury
Avascular necrosis of bone
What test should be done after reduction of a hip dislocation? - Answer✔CT scan
A colles' fracture most commonly involves what bone? - Answer✔Distal radius fracture; dorsally
displaced, dorsally angulated fracture
(image shows complete fracture)
1|Page
, ©THESTAR 2024/2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1:27PM. A+
In whom is Colles' fractures common? - Answer✔Elderly and children - esp those who fall onto
outstretched hand
The treatment for a colles' fracture is usually closed reduction, followed by a long-arm cast.
When is open reduction indicated in colles' fracture? - Answer✔If the fracture is intra-acrticular
What is the most commonly fractured carpal bone? - Answer✔Scaphoid fracture
A fracture of the scaphoid may take up to two weeks to display on radiographs. When specific
sign will make you suspect scaphoid fracture? - Answer✔When there is tenderness in the
anatomical snuffbox
How is a scaphoid fracture treated? - Answer✔Thumb spica cast
What is a complication of proximal 1/3rd scaphoid fractures? - Answer✔Avascular Necrosis
(AVN)
What causes a Boxer's fracture? - Answer✔Forward trauma of a closed fist can fracture the 5th
metacarpal neck
How is an uncomplicated Boxer's fracture treated? - Answer✔Closed reduction + Ulnar Gutter
Splint
When might Percutaneous Pinning be required in Boxer's fractures? - Answer✔*Displaced
fractures* (usually of 1st or 5th metacarpal or proximal phalanges)
Bone is put into place under X ray guidance, and metal wire run through the two bone
segments to hold in place. Metal removed in 4-6 weeks
What nerve palsy is commonly associated with humeral shaft fracture? - Answer✔Radial nerve
palsy - wrist drop and loss of thumb extension
A minor humoral shaft fracture is treated using a hanging arm cast (whole arm up to deltoid).
How is a severe humoral fracture treated? - Answer✔Coaptation splint
What is Monteggia's fracture? - Answer✔Diaphyseal fracture of the proximal ulna + subluxation
of radial head
How is a Monteggia's fracture treated? - Answer✔Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF)
of the ulna (so, big metal pins)
Closed reduction of the radial head
A direct blow to the radius may cause what type of fracture? - Answer✔Galeazzi's - Diaphyseal
radial fracture with dislocation of the radioulnar joint. Requires ORIF
2|Page
, ©THESTAR 2024/2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1:27PM. A+
How might someone who has experienced a hip fracture have their leg positioned? -
Answer✔Shortened and externally rotated
What are your specific concerns with displaced femoral neck fractures? - Answer✔Avascular
Necrosis
Nonunion
How are hip fractures treated? - Answer✔*ORIF*
May require hip hemiarthroplasty if elderly
*Anticoagulate* to decrease likelihood of DVT (hip fracture associated with DVT risk)
What complication of a femoral fracture will present with fever, change in mental status,
dyspnea, hypoxia, petechiae and thrombocytopenia? - Answer✔Fat emboli
What should you be concerned about in a tibial fracture? - Answer✔Compartment syndrome
How quickly must someone with an open fracture be taken to the OR? - Answer✔Within *8-24
hours*, due to risk of infection
Someone with an open fracture comes into ED. What is the first thing you give them? -
Answer✔Tetanus shot. Antibiotic prophylaxis will also be needed
How does an achilles tendon rupture present? - Answer✔'Pop' like a rifle.
What will be revealed on physical exam in someone with a ruptured achilles tendon? -
Answer✔Limited plantar flexion
(+) Thompson's test (Pressure on gastrocnemius --> absent root rise)
How is Achilles Tendon Rupture treated? - Answer✔Surgically followed by long leg cast for 6
weeks
How do musculoskeletal knee injuries tend to present? - Answer✔Instability, pain and
hematoma
What is the test of choice for knee injury? - Answer✔MRI
What are the three most common types of injury causing Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL)
damage? - Answer✔Non-contact *twisting*
Forced knee *hyperextension*
Impact into an extended knee (which might link back to the hyperextension)
What physical exam tests must you do to identify an anterior cruciate ligament injury? -
Answer✔*Anterior drawer* and *Lachman* tests will be (+)
3|Page
Musculoskeletal USMLE Step 2 Exam
Questions And Answers |Latest 2025 |
Guaranteed Pass.
What type of shoulder dislocation is most common? - Answer✔Anterior
(posterior quite rare. Usually only assoc. with electrocution or seizure)
What nerve is most at risk in anterior shoulder dislocation? - Answer✔Axillary nerve
How will a patient usually hold their arm in an anterior dislocation of the shoulder? -
Answer✔Abduction and externally rotated
(opposite of posterior, where it is usually adducted and internally rotated)
What nerve is most at risk with anterior hip dislocation? - Answer✔Obturator
What is the most common type of hip dislocation? - Answer✔Posterior (>90%) - occurs via
posterior force on internally rotated, flexed, adducted hip ("dashboard injury")
What type of injury is associated with posterior hip dislocation? - Answer✔Sciatic nerve injury
Avascular necrosis of bone
What test should be done after reduction of a hip dislocation? - Answer✔CT scan
A colles' fracture most commonly involves what bone? - Answer✔Distal radius fracture; dorsally
displaced, dorsally angulated fracture
(image shows complete fracture)
1|Page
, ©THESTAR 2024/2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1:27PM. A+
In whom is Colles' fractures common? - Answer✔Elderly and children - esp those who fall onto
outstretched hand
The treatment for a colles' fracture is usually closed reduction, followed by a long-arm cast.
When is open reduction indicated in colles' fracture? - Answer✔If the fracture is intra-acrticular
What is the most commonly fractured carpal bone? - Answer✔Scaphoid fracture
A fracture of the scaphoid may take up to two weeks to display on radiographs. When specific
sign will make you suspect scaphoid fracture? - Answer✔When there is tenderness in the
anatomical snuffbox
How is a scaphoid fracture treated? - Answer✔Thumb spica cast
What is a complication of proximal 1/3rd scaphoid fractures? - Answer✔Avascular Necrosis
(AVN)
What causes a Boxer's fracture? - Answer✔Forward trauma of a closed fist can fracture the 5th
metacarpal neck
How is an uncomplicated Boxer's fracture treated? - Answer✔Closed reduction + Ulnar Gutter
Splint
When might Percutaneous Pinning be required in Boxer's fractures? - Answer✔*Displaced
fractures* (usually of 1st or 5th metacarpal or proximal phalanges)
Bone is put into place under X ray guidance, and metal wire run through the two bone
segments to hold in place. Metal removed in 4-6 weeks
What nerve palsy is commonly associated with humeral shaft fracture? - Answer✔Radial nerve
palsy - wrist drop and loss of thumb extension
A minor humoral shaft fracture is treated using a hanging arm cast (whole arm up to deltoid).
How is a severe humoral fracture treated? - Answer✔Coaptation splint
What is Monteggia's fracture? - Answer✔Diaphyseal fracture of the proximal ulna + subluxation
of radial head
How is a Monteggia's fracture treated? - Answer✔Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF)
of the ulna (so, big metal pins)
Closed reduction of the radial head
A direct blow to the radius may cause what type of fracture? - Answer✔Galeazzi's - Diaphyseal
radial fracture with dislocation of the radioulnar joint. Requires ORIF
2|Page
, ©THESTAR 2024/2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1:27PM. A+
How might someone who has experienced a hip fracture have their leg positioned? -
Answer✔Shortened and externally rotated
What are your specific concerns with displaced femoral neck fractures? - Answer✔Avascular
Necrosis
Nonunion
How are hip fractures treated? - Answer✔*ORIF*
May require hip hemiarthroplasty if elderly
*Anticoagulate* to decrease likelihood of DVT (hip fracture associated with DVT risk)
What complication of a femoral fracture will present with fever, change in mental status,
dyspnea, hypoxia, petechiae and thrombocytopenia? - Answer✔Fat emboli
What should you be concerned about in a tibial fracture? - Answer✔Compartment syndrome
How quickly must someone with an open fracture be taken to the OR? - Answer✔Within *8-24
hours*, due to risk of infection
Someone with an open fracture comes into ED. What is the first thing you give them? -
Answer✔Tetanus shot. Antibiotic prophylaxis will also be needed
How does an achilles tendon rupture present? - Answer✔'Pop' like a rifle.
What will be revealed on physical exam in someone with a ruptured achilles tendon? -
Answer✔Limited plantar flexion
(+) Thompson's test (Pressure on gastrocnemius --> absent root rise)
How is Achilles Tendon Rupture treated? - Answer✔Surgically followed by long leg cast for 6
weeks
How do musculoskeletal knee injuries tend to present? - Answer✔Instability, pain and
hematoma
What is the test of choice for knee injury? - Answer✔MRI
What are the three most common types of injury causing Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL)
damage? - Answer✔Non-contact *twisting*
Forced knee *hyperextension*
Impact into an extended knee (which might link back to the hyperextension)
What physical exam tests must you do to identify an anterior cruciate ligament injury? -
Answer✔*Anterior drawer* and *Lachman* tests will be (+)
3|Page
