Musculoskeletal Home

Musculoskeletal (MSK) concerns are very common and result in many visits to primary care.

Movement and exercise are what muscles are all about.

 

Physical Examination

Standard techniques of history and physical exam are useful for exploring musculoskeletal concerns, and while each joint is unique there are also aspects of the physical exam common to them all.

 

Inspection:

  • swelling
  • redness
  • atrophy
  • deformity
  • scars
  • nodules
  • bruising

Palpation

  • bony landmarks
  • soft tissue
  • joints: warmth, tenderness, swelling

Range of Motion

  • active before passive

Special Tests

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wheeless' Textbook of Orthopedics online

Professional Health Systems