MUSCULOSKELETAL ASSESSMENT PRACTICE
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
(Correct answers marked with ✔️✔️)
Section 1: General Musculoskeletal Knowledge (1–20)
1. Which structure connects muscle to bone?
A. Ligament
B. Tendon
C. Cartilage
D. Fascia
2. Which vitamin is essential for calcium absorption?
A. Vitamin A
B. Vitamin C
C. Vitamin D
D. Vitamin K
3. Crepitus refers to:
A. Muscle wasting
B. Bone fracture
C. Grating sound in joints
D. Muscle spasm
4. The synovial membrane lines:
A. Long bones
B. Joint cavities
C. Muscle fibers
D. Tendons
5. A patient with rheumatoid arthritis typically experiences:
A. Unilateral pain
B. Morning stiffness > 1 hour
C. Pain relieved by immobility
D. Sudden onset of symptoms
,6. Kyphosis is defined as:
A. Exaggerated lumbar curve
B. Exaggerated thoracic curve
C. Lateral curvature
D. Normal aging curve
7. Which test assesses carpal tunnel syndrome?
A. Straight leg raise
B. Phalen’s test
C. Ballottement
D. McMurray test
8. Scoliosis is best assessed by:
A. Forward bend test
B. Tinel’s test
C. Lachman test
D. Thompson test
9. A bulging intervertebral disc usually causes:
A. Local swelling
B. Radiating nerve pain
C. Muscle hypertrophy
D. Increased reflexes
10. Which mineral is most important for bone strength?
A. Iron
B. Zinc
C. Calcium
D. Sodium
11. The main function of synovial fluid is to:
A. Build bone
B. Lubricate joints
C. Repair tendons
D. Provide nerve signals
12. Common symptom of osteoarthritis:
A. Symmetric joint swelling
B. Pain worsens with activity
, C. Morning stiffness > 1 hour
D. Fever
13. Which joint is a hinge joint?
A. Shoulder
B. Hip
C. Knee
D. Wrist
14. Atrophy means:
A. Increase in muscle mass
B. Decrease in muscle size
C. Joint enlargement
D. Bone thinning
15. A patient with gout often reports pain in the:
A. Knee
B. Big toe
C. Wrist
D. Neck
16. Lateral epicondylitis is also known as:
A. Golfer's elbow
B. Tennis elbow
C. Housemaid’s knee
D. Jumper’s knee
17. The rotator cuff is located in the:
A. Hip
B. Shoulder
C. Elbow
D. Ankle
18. Which assessment checks knee stability?
A. Lachman test
B. Tinel test
C. Ortolani test
D. Babinski test
19. Lordosis commonly appears during:
A. Adolescence
, B. Pregnancy
C. Older adulthood
D. Infancy
20. Bone healing requires which cells?
A. Osteoclasts
B. Osteoblasts
C. Fibroblasts
D. Myocytes
Section 2: Physical Assessment (21–40)
21. When assessing gait, the nurse observes:
A. Skin temperature
B. Balance and step length
C. Capillary refill
D. Muscle tone only
22. Muscle strength is graded on a scale from:
A. 0–3
B. 1–10
C. 0–5
D. 0–100
23. A grade 0 muscle strength score means:
A. Full ROM
B. Slight movement
C. No contraction
D. No resistance
24. A nurse suspects a knee effusion and should perform:
A. Tinel’s test
B. Ballottement test
C. McMurray test
D. Patrick’s test
25. A positive straight leg raise indicates:
A. Hip arthritis
B. Sciatic nerve irritation
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
(Correct answers marked with ✔️✔️)
Section 1: General Musculoskeletal Knowledge (1–20)
1. Which structure connects muscle to bone?
A. Ligament
B. Tendon
C. Cartilage
D. Fascia
2. Which vitamin is essential for calcium absorption?
A. Vitamin A
B. Vitamin C
C. Vitamin D
D. Vitamin K
3. Crepitus refers to:
A. Muscle wasting
B. Bone fracture
C. Grating sound in joints
D. Muscle spasm
4. The synovial membrane lines:
A. Long bones
B. Joint cavities
C. Muscle fibers
D. Tendons
5. A patient with rheumatoid arthritis typically experiences:
A. Unilateral pain
B. Morning stiffness > 1 hour
C. Pain relieved by immobility
D. Sudden onset of symptoms
,6. Kyphosis is defined as:
A. Exaggerated lumbar curve
B. Exaggerated thoracic curve
C. Lateral curvature
D. Normal aging curve
7. Which test assesses carpal tunnel syndrome?
A. Straight leg raise
B. Phalen’s test
C. Ballottement
D. McMurray test
8. Scoliosis is best assessed by:
A. Forward bend test
B. Tinel’s test
C. Lachman test
D. Thompson test
9. A bulging intervertebral disc usually causes:
A. Local swelling
B. Radiating nerve pain
C. Muscle hypertrophy
D. Increased reflexes
10. Which mineral is most important for bone strength?
A. Iron
B. Zinc
C. Calcium
D. Sodium
11. The main function of synovial fluid is to:
A. Build bone
B. Lubricate joints
C. Repair tendons
D. Provide nerve signals
12. Common symptom of osteoarthritis:
A. Symmetric joint swelling
B. Pain worsens with activity
, C. Morning stiffness > 1 hour
D. Fever
13. Which joint is a hinge joint?
A. Shoulder
B. Hip
C. Knee
D. Wrist
14. Atrophy means:
A. Increase in muscle mass
B. Decrease in muscle size
C. Joint enlargement
D. Bone thinning
15. A patient with gout often reports pain in the:
A. Knee
B. Big toe
C. Wrist
D. Neck
16. Lateral epicondylitis is also known as:
A. Golfer's elbow
B. Tennis elbow
C. Housemaid’s knee
D. Jumper’s knee
17. The rotator cuff is located in the:
A. Hip
B. Shoulder
C. Elbow
D. Ankle
18. Which assessment checks knee stability?
A. Lachman test
B. Tinel test
C. Ortolani test
D. Babinski test
19. Lordosis commonly appears during:
A. Adolescence
, B. Pregnancy
C. Older adulthood
D. Infancy
20. Bone healing requires which cells?
A. Osteoclasts
B. Osteoblasts
C. Fibroblasts
D. Myocytes
Section 2: Physical Assessment (21–40)
21. When assessing gait, the nurse observes:
A. Skin temperature
B. Balance and step length
C. Capillary refill
D. Muscle tone only
22. Muscle strength is graded on a scale from:
A. 0–3
B. 1–10
C. 0–5
D. 0–100
23. A grade 0 muscle strength score means:
A. Full ROM
B. Slight movement
C. No contraction
D. No resistance
24. A nurse suspects a knee effusion and should perform:
A. Tinel’s test
B. Ballottement test
C. McMurray test
D. Patrick’s test
25. A positive straight leg raise indicates:
A. Hip arthritis
B. Sciatic nerve irritation
