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NU 327 Musculoskeletal Questions and
Answers (Expert Solutions)
Q: What are the 5 functions of the skeletal system?, 🗹🗹: support, storage, produce
blood cells, protect organs, provide leverage and movement
Q: What is the osteon (haversian system)?, 🗹🗹: - BASIC UNIT OF BONE
- canals allow nutrients to reach osteocytes
Q: What is osteoblasts?, 🗹🗹: - BONE FORMING CELLS
- responsible for bone growth and repair, estrogen helps regulate, osteocytes are
mature osteoblasts
Q: What is osteoclasts?, 🗹🗹: - BONE RESORPTION
- tearing down old or excess bone
Q: What is the tissue level anatomy of bones?, 🗹🗹: cancellous bone (trabecular) -
spongy; compact bone (cortical) - solid; periosteum - covers entire bone except for the
ends
Q: What is Wolff's law?, 🗹🗹: bone is laid down where it is needed and resorbed
where it is not needed
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Q: What is important about Wolff's law?, 🗹🗹: - immobilized bone are not subject to
stress
- osteoclast activity increases
- increased risk for fractures
- increased risk for falls
Q: What are geriatric considerations?, 🗹🗹: - increased bone resorption and
decreased bone formation (osteoporosis)
- increased bone circumference (pelvis widening)
- dehydration of intravertebral disks (kyphosis and decreased height)
- erosion and thinning of cartilage (synovial membrane fibrosis)
Q: What is cartilage?, 🗹🗹: - dense connective tissue
- supports, shaped, and cushions body structures
Q: What is a tendon?, 🗹🗹: attaches MUSCLE TO BONES and allows movement
Q: What is a ligament?, 🗹🗹: connects BONES TO BONES and provides stability to
joints
Q: What is a bursea?, 🗹🗹: - small sac of synovial fluid around joints & between
tendons, ligaments, bone
- located in areas of high friction (acts as a cushion)
Q: What is the most important trauma assessment?, 🗹🗹: ABCDE - airway, breathing,
circulation, disability, exposure
Q: What is the etiology/patho. of a torn meniscus?, 🗹🗹: torn by rotational
movements because the meniscus allows the knee to rotate
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Q: What are the S&S of torn meniscus?, 🗹🗹: ACUTE PAIN, SWELLING, "JOINT
LOCKING", tenderness
Q: What are the treatments for a torn meniscus?, 🗹🗹: anti-inflammatory, joint
stabilization, PT, surgery
Q: What is the etiology of a protruded disk?, 🗹🗹: age, lifting/twisting, trauma,
structures between vertebrae (annulus fibrosis and nucleus pulposus)
Q: What are the S&S of a protruded disk?, 🗹🗹: pain, numbness, tingling, motor
weakness, diminished reflexes
Q: What is the treatment for a protruded disk?, 🗹🗹: treat pain, bed rest, and maybe
surgery
Q: What is subluxation?, 🗹🗹: displacement from normal position; not as severe as
dislocation
Q: What is dislocation?, 🗹🗹: articulating surface loses contact (common joints are
finger, patella, shoulder)
Q: What are the S&S of subluxation/dislocation?, 🗹🗹: pain, "joint pop out of socket",
change in extremity length, loss of normal mobility
Q: What are the treatments for dislocation/subluxation?, 🗹🗹: reduction (put it back
in place), immobilization (1-3 wks), pain control, ROM
Q: What is the etiology/patho. of ligament injuries?, 🗹🗹: - ROM is exceeded (knee
stabilizer)
- damage to surrounding tissue
- classified by extent of tear
- common site is knee (ACL) - athletes
NU 327 Musculoskeletal Questions and
Answers (Expert Solutions)
Q: What are the 5 functions of the skeletal system?, 🗹🗹: support, storage, produce
blood cells, protect organs, provide leverage and movement
Q: What is the osteon (haversian system)?, 🗹🗹: - BASIC UNIT OF BONE
- canals allow nutrients to reach osteocytes
Q: What is osteoblasts?, 🗹🗹: - BONE FORMING CELLS
- responsible for bone growth and repair, estrogen helps regulate, osteocytes are
mature osteoblasts
Q: What is osteoclasts?, 🗹🗹: - BONE RESORPTION
- tearing down old or excess bone
Q: What is the tissue level anatomy of bones?, 🗹🗹: cancellous bone (trabecular) -
spongy; compact bone (cortical) - solid; periosteum - covers entire bone except for the
ends
Q: What is Wolff's law?, 🗹🗹: bone is laid down where it is needed and resorbed
where it is not needed
, Page | 2
Q: What is important about Wolff's law?, 🗹🗹: - immobilized bone are not subject to
stress
- osteoclast activity increases
- increased risk for fractures
- increased risk for falls
Q: What are geriatric considerations?, 🗹🗹: - increased bone resorption and
decreased bone formation (osteoporosis)
- increased bone circumference (pelvis widening)
- dehydration of intravertebral disks (kyphosis and decreased height)
- erosion and thinning of cartilage (synovial membrane fibrosis)
Q: What is cartilage?, 🗹🗹: - dense connective tissue
- supports, shaped, and cushions body structures
Q: What is a tendon?, 🗹🗹: attaches MUSCLE TO BONES and allows movement
Q: What is a ligament?, 🗹🗹: connects BONES TO BONES and provides stability to
joints
Q: What is a bursea?, 🗹🗹: - small sac of synovial fluid around joints & between
tendons, ligaments, bone
- located in areas of high friction (acts as a cushion)
Q: What is the most important trauma assessment?, 🗹🗹: ABCDE - airway, breathing,
circulation, disability, exposure
Q: What is the etiology/patho. of a torn meniscus?, 🗹🗹: torn by rotational
movements because the meniscus allows the knee to rotate
, Page | 3
Q: What are the S&S of torn meniscus?, 🗹🗹: ACUTE PAIN, SWELLING, "JOINT
LOCKING", tenderness
Q: What are the treatments for a torn meniscus?, 🗹🗹: anti-inflammatory, joint
stabilization, PT, surgery
Q: What is the etiology of a protruded disk?, 🗹🗹: age, lifting/twisting, trauma,
structures between vertebrae (annulus fibrosis and nucleus pulposus)
Q: What are the S&S of a protruded disk?, 🗹🗹: pain, numbness, tingling, motor
weakness, diminished reflexes
Q: What is the treatment for a protruded disk?, 🗹🗹: treat pain, bed rest, and maybe
surgery
Q: What is subluxation?, 🗹🗹: displacement from normal position; not as severe as
dislocation
Q: What is dislocation?, 🗹🗹: articulating surface loses contact (common joints are
finger, patella, shoulder)
Q: What are the S&S of subluxation/dislocation?, 🗹🗹: pain, "joint pop out of socket",
change in extremity length, loss of normal mobility
Q: What are the treatments for dislocation/subluxation?, 🗹🗹: reduction (put it back
in place), immobilization (1-3 wks), pain control, ROM
Q: What is the etiology/patho. of ligament injuries?, 🗹🗹: - ROM is exceeded (knee
stabilizer)
- damage to surrounding tissue
- classified by extent of tear
- common site is knee (ACL) - athletes
