NBME ANATOMY SHELF EXAM 2025 WITH CERTIFIED
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
What are differences b/w *Colles'* and *Smith's* Fractures? - Answer- Both are distal radial fractures
Smith's - flexion fracture (distal segment anterior)
Colles' - extension fracture (distal segment posterior/dorsal) - incl. avulced ulnar styloid process
What are the carpal bones? - Answer- Some Lovers Try Positions That They Can't Handle
Scaphoid Lunate Triquetrum Pisiform Trapezium Trapezoid Capitate Hamate
Which carpal bone is most often fractured during a fall (symptoms)? - Answer- Scaphoid
"deep tenderness in anatomical snuff box"
What is a boxer's fracture? - Answer- Fracture of necks of metacarpals
What are the 4 muscles of the *rotator cuff*? - Answer- Supraspinatus
Infraspinatus
Teres Minor
Subscapularis
What *innervate* the four muscles of the rotator cuff? - Answer- Suprascapular N.
Suprascapular N.
Axillary N.
Upper/Lower Subscapular N.
,What muscle (+ nerve) initiates abduction of upper limb? - Answer- 0°-15° by *supraspinatus*
(suprascapular nerve)
What muscle (+ nerve) allow for abduction b/w 15° - 110°? - Answer- *deltoid* (axillary nerve)
What muscle (+ nerve) allow for abduction above horizontal position? - Answer- *trapezius* (CN XI)
and *serratus anterior* (Long Thoracic N.)
What is tennis elbow? - Answer- AKA lateral epicondylitis; painful inflammation of common extensor
tendon -> lateral epicondyle
Where and why are lumbar punctures performed? - Answer- Spinal Block -> Anesthetic (into epidural
space)
Spinal Tap -> CSF extraction (into subarachnoid space)W
B/W L3/L4 or L4/L5
NB: Posterior to this is *cauda equina*
Where does a *herniated intervertebral* disk occur? What causes it? - Answer- Occurs b/w L4/L5 or
*L5/S1* and C5/C6 or C6/C7
NB: affects lower spinal nerve #
Degeneration of annulus fibrosis followed by *sudden compression* of nucleus pulposus
What is the difference b/w *retrolisthesis* and *spondylolisthesis*? - Answer- Retro - backwards
movement of vertebral bone
Spondylo - forward movement of bone
What is *lordosis*? - Answer- exaggerated *L*umbar curvature
, What is *kyphosis*? - Answer- exaggerated thoracic curvature (can be seen w/osteoporosis)
What structures will be affected by a fracture of the *surgical neck*? - Answer- axillary nerve and
posterior humeral circumflex artery
What structures will be affected by a fracture at *midshaft of humerus*? - Answer- radial nerve and
profunda brachii artery
What structures will be affected by a fracture at *supracondylar region of humerus*? - Answer- median
nerve and brachial artery
What is golfer's elbow - Answer- AKA medial epicondylitis; inflammation of common *flexor* tendon
What are the arterial anastomoses around the scapula? - Answer- Problem: blockage of subclavian or
axillary a.
Sol'n: anastomoses b/w branches of *subscapular a.* and *thyrocervical trunk*
What are contents of *cubital fossa*? - Answer- From lateral to medial:
biceps brachii tendon
brachial a.
median n.
What two muscles form borders of *cubital fossa*? - Answer- Pronator Teres (medial) and
Brachioradialis (lateral)
What are *subcutaneous* structures of cubital fossa? - Answer- From lateral to medial:
cephalic v.
median cubital v. (connects the two; over bicipital aponeurosis)
basilic v.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
What are differences b/w *Colles'* and *Smith's* Fractures? - Answer- Both are distal radial fractures
Smith's - flexion fracture (distal segment anterior)
Colles' - extension fracture (distal segment posterior/dorsal) - incl. avulced ulnar styloid process
What are the carpal bones? - Answer- Some Lovers Try Positions That They Can't Handle
Scaphoid Lunate Triquetrum Pisiform Trapezium Trapezoid Capitate Hamate
Which carpal bone is most often fractured during a fall (symptoms)? - Answer- Scaphoid
"deep tenderness in anatomical snuff box"
What is a boxer's fracture? - Answer- Fracture of necks of metacarpals
What are the 4 muscles of the *rotator cuff*? - Answer- Supraspinatus
Infraspinatus
Teres Minor
Subscapularis
What *innervate* the four muscles of the rotator cuff? - Answer- Suprascapular N.
Suprascapular N.
Axillary N.
Upper/Lower Subscapular N.
,What muscle (+ nerve) initiates abduction of upper limb? - Answer- 0°-15° by *supraspinatus*
(suprascapular nerve)
What muscle (+ nerve) allow for abduction b/w 15° - 110°? - Answer- *deltoid* (axillary nerve)
What muscle (+ nerve) allow for abduction above horizontal position? - Answer- *trapezius* (CN XI)
and *serratus anterior* (Long Thoracic N.)
What is tennis elbow? - Answer- AKA lateral epicondylitis; painful inflammation of common extensor
tendon -> lateral epicondyle
Where and why are lumbar punctures performed? - Answer- Spinal Block -> Anesthetic (into epidural
space)
Spinal Tap -> CSF extraction (into subarachnoid space)W
B/W L3/L4 or L4/L5
NB: Posterior to this is *cauda equina*
Where does a *herniated intervertebral* disk occur? What causes it? - Answer- Occurs b/w L4/L5 or
*L5/S1* and C5/C6 or C6/C7
NB: affects lower spinal nerve #
Degeneration of annulus fibrosis followed by *sudden compression* of nucleus pulposus
What is the difference b/w *retrolisthesis* and *spondylolisthesis*? - Answer- Retro - backwards
movement of vertebral bone
Spondylo - forward movement of bone
What is *lordosis*? - Answer- exaggerated *L*umbar curvature
, What is *kyphosis*? - Answer- exaggerated thoracic curvature (can be seen w/osteoporosis)
What structures will be affected by a fracture of the *surgical neck*? - Answer- axillary nerve and
posterior humeral circumflex artery
What structures will be affected by a fracture at *midshaft of humerus*? - Answer- radial nerve and
profunda brachii artery
What structures will be affected by a fracture at *supracondylar region of humerus*? - Answer- median
nerve and brachial artery
What is golfer's elbow - Answer- AKA medial epicondylitis; inflammation of common *flexor* tendon
What are the arterial anastomoses around the scapula? - Answer- Problem: blockage of subclavian or
axillary a.
Sol'n: anastomoses b/w branches of *subscapular a.* and *thyrocervical trunk*
What are contents of *cubital fossa*? - Answer- From lateral to medial:
biceps brachii tendon
brachial a.
median n.
What two muscles form borders of *cubital fossa*? - Answer- Pronator Teres (medial) and
Brachioradialis (lateral)
What are *subcutaneous* structures of cubital fossa? - Answer- From lateral to medial:
cephalic v.
median cubital v. (connects the two; over bicipital aponeurosis)
basilic v.
