Musculoskeletal Trauma

Musculoskeletal trauma

Connected to emergency care topics, specifically secondary assessment and the management of bleeding and shock.

Secondary assessment

A thorough evaluation of injuries, including musculoskeletal trauma, to identify all potential problems after initial life threats are addressed.

Bleeding and shock

Critical complications arising from musculoskeletal injuries requiring prompt recognition and intervention.

Orthopedic trauma

Injuries to the musculoskeletal system including bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, and muscles.

Basic emergency care for acutely injured patients

Requires rapid assessment to identify life-threatening conditions and prioritize treatment.

Key steps in basic emergency care

Include immobilizing fractures and dislocations, controlling bleeding, and preventing further injury.

Assessment findings

Guide emergency interventions such as splinting, applying dressings, and monitoring for signs of shock.

Musculoskeletal system

Provides support, movement, and protection and consists of bones, joints, muscles, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons.

Fractures

Breaks in bones classified as angulated, comminuted, greenstick, open, or closed.

Dislocations

Occur when bones are forced out of their normal position in a joint.

Sprains

Involve stretching or tearing of ligaments.

Strains

Affect muscles or tendons.

Compartment syndrome

A serious complication where increased pressure within a muscle compartment impairs blood flow.

Crepitus

A grating sensation or sound felt over fractured bone ends.

Manual traction

Used to align and stabilize fractures, especially in extremities.

Assessment of musculoskeletal injuries

Includes checking for deformity, swelling, pain, loss of function, and performing serial checks of distal circulation and sensation.

Muscle types

Includes voluntary (skeletal), cardiac, and involuntary (smooth) muscles.

Cartilage

A flexible connective tissue that covers bone ends at joints.

Tendons

Connective tissues that attach muscles to bones.

Ligaments

Connective tissues that connect bone to bone and stabilize joints.

Mechanisms of musculoskeletal injuries

Include direct force, twisting force, and indirect force.

Assessment prioritization

Always prioritize identifying and treating life-threatening conditions before focusing on musculoskeletal injuries.

Signs of compartment syndrome

Include pain, swelling, a sensation of pressure, and reduced or absent distal circulation.

Treatment for compartment syndrome

Includes cold application, elevation, and prompt transport to a medical facility.

Fracture classification

Includes types like open (bone through skin) and closed (skin intact) fractures.

Field treatment approach

Assume any painful, swollen, or deformed extremity is a fracture and immobilize it.

Splinting

The first step in emergency care for suspected extremity fractures, immobilizing both the injury site and adjacent joints.

Pelvic fractures

Can cause significant internal bleeding and may require stabilization with pelvic wraps.

Hip dislocation

Occurs when the femoral head is displaced from its pelvic socket, often due to high-energy trauma.

Knee injuries

Often present with pain, tenderness, swelling, and deformity.

Patient care priorities

Include assessing distal circulation, sensation, and movement (CSM) before and after splint application.

Sling and swathe

Used for arm immobilization, supporting the shoulder and arm against the chest.

Femoral shaft fractures

Require significant force and may cause overriding of fractured bone ends.