ORTHO CERTIFICATION EXAM 2025 | ALL QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT ANSWERS
| ALREADY GRADED A+ | LATEST VERSION
1.List several factor that determine fracture-healing outcome. - ANSWER 1) Skeletal maturity decreases
healing.
- Immature skeleton increases rate and success of healing.
2) Single bone fracture has better prognosis than multi-bone fracture.
3) Big displacement that affect surrounding tissues requires more healing time.
4) Thoracic spine injury heals better than unstable lumbar/cervical spine injuries.
5) Fracture of joint surfaces are more unstable/difficult to treat.
6) Fracture with nearby unaffected support bone has good prognosis - acts as natural splint.
2. Differentiate between linear, oblique, and transverse fractures. - ANSWER LINEAR: the fracture forms a
straight line through the bone; doesn't tell if fracture line is angled or horizontal; a linear can be oblique
or transverse
OBLIQUE: fracture line that travels at an angle through the bone
TRANSVERSE: break that travels in a horizontal line through the bone.
Don't ever just say a fracture line is linear - differentiate with oblique or transverse.
3. Describe/give examples of following bony injuries. - ANSWER 1) CRUSH - caused by large stress on a
small area; results in multiple break lines and severe soft tissue damage; EX: sledgehammer coming
down on a finger or heavy suspended mass falling on foot or leg
2) COMPRESSION - happens with large axial loading force; most often in vertebrae; EX: landing on feet or
butt, fall from a moderate height
3) STRESS - not sustained by one-time incident but instead with repetitive activity that stresses a normal
bone over time
4. Differences between plaster of Paris and fiberglass casting. - ANSWER PLASTER OF PARIS: slightly
cheaper, molds well but is heavier and has longer drying time/setting; not ideal for kids in an outpatient
setting/upper extremity injury
FIBERGLASS: more expensive, comes in different colors, molds well, lightweight, drying time is as little as
5 minutes, more water resistant; BUT edges are more abrasive and they tend to be hotter
,How to choose? - cost, physician comfort/familiarity, joint being immobilized, injury being treated &
patient type
5. Discuss the 4 main types of bone. - ANSWER 1) LONG BONE: longer than they are wide; consist of
shaft (diaphysis) and head (epiphysis); EX: humerus, femur
2) SHORT BONE: cubical in shape; consist of spongy bone; EX: carpals in wrist
3) FLAT BONE: thin and flat with slight curvature; contain mostly compact bone; EX: skull bones
4) IRREGULAR BONE: don't fit above classifications; consist of spongy bone with thin compact outer
layer; EX: vertebrae, pelvic girdle bones
6. Describe angulation and rotational fractures. - ANSWER ANGULATION FX: force that causes bony
fragment to become broken transversely, then misaligned; usually in a v shape; EX: same as that of a
tapping force, like using forearm to block a blow
ROTATIONAL FX: force causes a spiraling fracture line; seen in arms or lower leg - when seen in child,
raises question of abuse
7. Define fracture, dislocation, and subluxation. - ANSWER 1) FRACTURE: a break in a bone; may or may
not involve a joint surface; may be full thickness or partial thickness
2) DISLOCATION: complete disruption in a joint where joint surfaces of both bones no longer make
contact
3) SUBLUXATION: incomplete dislocation of joint from its normal position; still partial contact of joint
surfaces; "partial dislocation"
8.3 injuries that can be sustained from a knee that hits the dashboard in a MVA. - ANSWER 1)
DASHBOARD FRACTURE: fracture of the rim of the acetabulum; caused by impact of femoral head
2) PATELLAR FRACTURE: force of kneecap on dash
3) POSTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT (PCL) TEAR
9. 4 Main Components of describing and classifying a fracture - ANSWER 1) LOCATION: distal, proximal,
lateral, numbering (phalanges, tarsals, 3rd, 4th, etc.); can also describe the portion of the bone involved
(diaphysis, epiphyses)
2) DESCRIPTION OF FRACTURE LINE: comminuted, segmented, compressed, transverse
, 3) DISPLACEMENT OF FRACTURE/ITS FRAGMENTS: non-displaced, angulated, distracted, simply
displaced
4) THE CONDITION OF SOFT TISSUE SURROUNDING THE BREAK: open or closed
10. Define avulsion, comminuted, and greenstick fractures. - ANSWER AVULSION: break that displaces a
portion of bone from its usual position
COMMINUTED: describes fracture that results in greater than 2 bony fragments; usually describes crush
injury
GREENSTICK: result of a lesser force and doesn't cause a full-thickness break; only one side of bone is
affected; not a fracture associated with displacement
11. 4 substances that can be used surgically to enhance the healing of bone after a fracture. - ANSWER 1)
AUTOGENOUS BONE: bone graft taken from patient, usually form iliac crest; used in small bony defects,
but high rate of complications
2) ALLOGRAPHIC BONE: cadaver bone injected into a fracture site; beneficial in larger defects, but
increased infection risk
3) SYNTHETIC BONE: ceramics and sea coral; useful when injected into large fractures that have already
been surgically stabilized
4) BIOACTIVE CELLS AND PROTEIN: expensive, benefit for nonunion fractures
12. 2 fractures only seen in the pelvic girdle - ANSWER 1) STRADDLE FRACTURE: forcefully falling on an
object in straddle position; coming down on gymnastic bar, bike seat, being bucked by a horse; it can
tranversely fracture superior and inferior pubic rami and usually bilaterally
2) DASHBOARD FRACTURE: when knee hits dashboard and the force progresses through the femur to the
acetabulum
13.Name 2 biological, 3 extrinsic, and 1 behavioral factor that can predispose a patient to a fracture. -
ANSWER Biological:
1) Age: bone structure becomes less dense/more susceptible to injury
2) Type of bone involved: some are better equipped to handle difference stresses and forces without
injury
Extrinsic:
| ALREADY GRADED A+ | LATEST VERSION
1.List several factor that determine fracture-healing outcome. - ANSWER 1) Skeletal maturity decreases
healing.
- Immature skeleton increases rate and success of healing.
2) Single bone fracture has better prognosis than multi-bone fracture.
3) Big displacement that affect surrounding tissues requires more healing time.
4) Thoracic spine injury heals better than unstable lumbar/cervical spine injuries.
5) Fracture of joint surfaces are more unstable/difficult to treat.
6) Fracture with nearby unaffected support bone has good prognosis - acts as natural splint.
2. Differentiate between linear, oblique, and transverse fractures. - ANSWER LINEAR: the fracture forms a
straight line through the bone; doesn't tell if fracture line is angled or horizontal; a linear can be oblique
or transverse
OBLIQUE: fracture line that travels at an angle through the bone
TRANSVERSE: break that travels in a horizontal line through the bone.
Don't ever just say a fracture line is linear - differentiate with oblique or transverse.
3. Describe/give examples of following bony injuries. - ANSWER 1) CRUSH - caused by large stress on a
small area; results in multiple break lines and severe soft tissue damage; EX: sledgehammer coming
down on a finger or heavy suspended mass falling on foot or leg
2) COMPRESSION - happens with large axial loading force; most often in vertebrae; EX: landing on feet or
butt, fall from a moderate height
3) STRESS - not sustained by one-time incident but instead with repetitive activity that stresses a normal
bone over time
4. Differences between plaster of Paris and fiberglass casting. - ANSWER PLASTER OF PARIS: slightly
cheaper, molds well but is heavier and has longer drying time/setting; not ideal for kids in an outpatient
setting/upper extremity injury
FIBERGLASS: more expensive, comes in different colors, molds well, lightweight, drying time is as little as
5 minutes, more water resistant; BUT edges are more abrasive and they tend to be hotter
,How to choose? - cost, physician comfort/familiarity, joint being immobilized, injury being treated &
patient type
5. Discuss the 4 main types of bone. - ANSWER 1) LONG BONE: longer than they are wide; consist of
shaft (diaphysis) and head (epiphysis); EX: humerus, femur
2) SHORT BONE: cubical in shape; consist of spongy bone; EX: carpals in wrist
3) FLAT BONE: thin and flat with slight curvature; contain mostly compact bone; EX: skull bones
4) IRREGULAR BONE: don't fit above classifications; consist of spongy bone with thin compact outer
layer; EX: vertebrae, pelvic girdle bones
6. Describe angulation and rotational fractures. - ANSWER ANGULATION FX: force that causes bony
fragment to become broken transversely, then misaligned; usually in a v shape; EX: same as that of a
tapping force, like using forearm to block a blow
ROTATIONAL FX: force causes a spiraling fracture line; seen in arms or lower leg - when seen in child,
raises question of abuse
7. Define fracture, dislocation, and subluxation. - ANSWER 1) FRACTURE: a break in a bone; may or may
not involve a joint surface; may be full thickness or partial thickness
2) DISLOCATION: complete disruption in a joint where joint surfaces of both bones no longer make
contact
3) SUBLUXATION: incomplete dislocation of joint from its normal position; still partial contact of joint
surfaces; "partial dislocation"
8.3 injuries that can be sustained from a knee that hits the dashboard in a MVA. - ANSWER 1)
DASHBOARD FRACTURE: fracture of the rim of the acetabulum; caused by impact of femoral head
2) PATELLAR FRACTURE: force of kneecap on dash
3) POSTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT (PCL) TEAR
9. 4 Main Components of describing and classifying a fracture - ANSWER 1) LOCATION: distal, proximal,
lateral, numbering (phalanges, tarsals, 3rd, 4th, etc.); can also describe the portion of the bone involved
(diaphysis, epiphyses)
2) DESCRIPTION OF FRACTURE LINE: comminuted, segmented, compressed, transverse
, 3) DISPLACEMENT OF FRACTURE/ITS FRAGMENTS: non-displaced, angulated, distracted, simply
displaced
4) THE CONDITION OF SOFT TISSUE SURROUNDING THE BREAK: open or closed
10. Define avulsion, comminuted, and greenstick fractures. - ANSWER AVULSION: break that displaces a
portion of bone from its usual position
COMMINUTED: describes fracture that results in greater than 2 bony fragments; usually describes crush
injury
GREENSTICK: result of a lesser force and doesn't cause a full-thickness break; only one side of bone is
affected; not a fracture associated with displacement
11. 4 substances that can be used surgically to enhance the healing of bone after a fracture. - ANSWER 1)
AUTOGENOUS BONE: bone graft taken from patient, usually form iliac crest; used in small bony defects,
but high rate of complications
2) ALLOGRAPHIC BONE: cadaver bone injected into a fracture site; beneficial in larger defects, but
increased infection risk
3) SYNTHETIC BONE: ceramics and sea coral; useful when injected into large fractures that have already
been surgically stabilized
4) BIOACTIVE CELLS AND PROTEIN: expensive, benefit for nonunion fractures
12. 2 fractures only seen in the pelvic girdle - ANSWER 1) STRADDLE FRACTURE: forcefully falling on an
object in straddle position; coming down on gymnastic bar, bike seat, being bucked by a horse; it can
tranversely fracture superior and inferior pubic rami and usually bilaterally
2) DASHBOARD FRACTURE: when knee hits dashboard and the force progresses through the femur to the
acetabulum
13.Name 2 biological, 3 extrinsic, and 1 behavioral factor that can predispose a patient to a fracture. -
ANSWER Biological:
1) Age: bone structure becomes less dense/more susceptible to injury
2) Type of bone involved: some are better equipped to handle difference stresses and forces without
injury
Extrinsic:
