Musculoskeletal System

Normal Anatomy & Physiology Musculoskeletal System

• The musculoskeletal system comprises bones, muscles, joints, tendons, and ligaments that provide structure, support, movement, and protection.

• Bones: The adult human skeleton consists of 206 bones, classified as long, short, flat, or irregular.

• Muscles: The body has over 650 named skeletal muscles, responsible for voluntary movements.

• Joints: Allow movement and are categorized into synovial (freely movable), cartilaginous (slightly movable), and fibrous (immovable).

• Tendons: Connect muscles to bones.

• Ligaments: Connect bones to other bones

Physical Examination Techniques

Differentiating Normal & Abnormal Findings

Analysis of Findings from Interview General survey & physical Examination

History Taking:

• Pain (location, duration, severity, triggers)

• Stiffness (morning vs. activity-related)

• Swelling (chronic vs. acute)

• Previous injuries (fractures, surgeries)

• Family history (arthritis, osteoporosis)

• Lifestyle factors (exercise, occupation)

General Survey:

• Posture: Upright (normal), hunched (kyphosis), exaggerated curve (lordosis, scoliosis).

• Gait & Mobility: Smooth (normal), limping (injury, arthritis), shuffling (neuromuscular disorder).

• Muscle Symmetry: Even (normal), atrophy (disuse, nerve damage), hypertrophy (overuse).

• Joint Appearance: Normal (no swelling), red/swollen (arthritis, gout).

• Range of Motion (ROM): Full, pain-free (normal), limited/stiff (joint disease, contractures).

• Functional Ability: Independent (normal), difficulty standing/walking (fracture, neurological disorder).

Physical Examination Findings:

• Correlate observations with history (e.g., joint pain with swelling suggests arthritis).

• Identify patterns of abnormality (e.g., bilateral joint pain suggests systemic disease).

• Use functional assessments (e.g., gait abnormalities indicating neuromuscular issues).