Orthopedics MCQs

A 55-year-old woman presents with pain at the base of her thumb, worsened by gripping objects. There is tenderness over the first carpometacarpal (CMC) joint.

What is the most likely diagnosis?

A 25-year-old footballer presents with a popping sensation in his knee after a twisting injury. He has difficulty weight-bearing, and Lachman’s test is positive.

Which ligament is most likely injured?

A 35-year-old runner presents with anterior knee pain that worsens with running and descending stairs. Examination reveals tenderness over the patella.

What is the most likely diagnosis?

A 55-year-old man presents with chronic low back pain and morning stiffness that improves with activity. He has no history of trauma. X-ray shows sacroiliitis.

What is the most likely diagnosis?

A 26-year-old athlete presents with heel pain that worsens with running. Examination reveals tenderness over the posterior heel and a positive Thompson test.

What is the most likely diagnosis?

A 72-year-old woman falls on an outstretched hand and presents with wrist pain and deformity. Examination reveals a dorsally displaced, angulated fracture of the distal radius.

Which is the most likely diagnosis?

A 60-year-old man presents with knee pain and a sensation of catching or locking. MRI shows a medial meniscus tear.

What is the most appropriate initial management?

A 4-year-old boy presents with acute onset of fever, refusal to bear weight, and a swollen, erythematous right knee. His WBC count and CRP are elevated.

What is the most appropriate next step?

A 40-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) presents with hip pain that worsens with weight-bearing. X-ray is normal, but MRI shows subchondral bone collapse.

What is the most likely diagnosis?

A 14-year-old overweight boy presents with a gradual onset of thigh pain and a limp. Examination reveals limited hip internal rotation.

What is the most appropriate management?

A 68-year-old woman presents with severe hip pain after falling at home. Her leg is shortened and externally rotated.

What is the most likely diagnosis?

A 28-year-old football player presents with severe pain and swelling after feeling a “pop” in his ankle while sprinting. There is no plantar flexion when squeezing the calf.

What is the best initial management?

A 45-year-old man presents with progressive lower back pain that worsens with rest and improves with activity. His Schober’s test is positive, and his X-ray shows sacroiliitis.

Which is the most likely diagnosis?

A 5-year-old boy presents with a painless limp and reduced hip movement. X-ray shows femoral head flattening and sclerosis.

What is the most likely diagnosis?

A 9-year-old child presents with progressive knee pain and an antalgic gait. Examination reveals reduced internal rotation of the hip.

What is the most likely diagnosis?

A 45-year-old construction worker complains of persistent shoulder pain and difficulty lifting his arm above his head. On examination, there is weakness in shoulder abduction and a positive painful arc test.

What is the most likely diagnosis?

A 33-year-old man presents with shoulder pain after a seizure. His arm is held in adduction and internal rotation.

What is the most likely diagnosis?

A 34-year-old woman presents with wrist pain and numbness in the thumb, index, and middle fingers. Symptoms worsen at night. Tinel’s and Phalen’s tests are positive.

What is the most likely diagnosis?

A 55-year-old woman with osteoporosis falls and sustains a vertebral compression fracture. She has severe back pain but no neurological deficits.

What is the most appropriate initial management?

A 70-year-old man presents with hip pain and difficulty walking after a fall. His affected leg is shortened and externally rotated.

What is the most likely diagnosis?

A 3-year-old child presents with refusal to bear weight and a high fever. Examination shows swelling and tenderness over the left hip.

Which is the most likely diagnosis?

A 60-year-old woman with a history of osteoporosis presents with sudden lower back pain after lifting a heavy object. X-ray shows vertebral compression fractures.

What is the most appropriate initial management?

A 50-year-old woman presents with progressive shoulder pain and stiffness over months. She has difficulty lifting her arm above her head.

Which is the most likely diagnosis?

A 40-year-old man presents with a painful, swollen calf following a long-haul flight. His dorsiflexion of the foot produces pain in the calf (positive Homan’s sign).

What is the most likely diagnosis?

A 45-year-old construction worker presents with progressive numbness and tingling in the first three fingers. Tinel’s and Phalen’s tests are positive.

What is the most likely diagnosis?

A 10-year-old boy presents with a painful, swollen knee after a minor fall. His X-ray shows an anterior displacement of the tibia with the widening of the growth plate.

What is the likely diagnosis?

A 30-year-old woman presents with pain and swelling in her wrist after a fall on an outstretched hand. X-ray reveals a fracture at the distal radius with dorsal displacement.

What is the most likely diagnosis?

A 22-year-old footballer presents with knee pain after twisting his knee during a game. On examination, there is a positive anterior drawer test.

What is the most likely diagnosis?

A 60-year-old man with long-standing diabetes presents with progressive hand stiffness and an inability to fully extend his ring and little fingers. There is thickening of the palmar fascia.

What is the most likely diagnosis?

A 30-year-old male involved in a motorbike accident has a femoral shaft fracture. He suddenly develops respiratory distress, confusion, and petechial rash.

What is the most likely diagnosis?

A 72-year-old woman falls at home and presents with severe hip pain. Her leg is shortened and externally rotated.

What is the gold standard for confirming the diagnosis?

A 22-year-old man lands awkwardly on his foot while playing basketball and hears a snap. He is unable to plantarflex the foot, and Thompson’s test is positive.

Which structure is injured?

A 40-year-old man falls from a ladder and lands on his feet. He complains of severe heel pain and is unable to bear weight. X-ray reveals a comminuted calcaneal fracture.

What is the most commonly associated injury?

A 30-year-old man sustains a high-impact trauma to the leg. Examination reveals absent dorsalis pedis and posterior tibial pulses.

What is the most appropriate next step?

A 60-year-old man presents with severe lower back pain radiating down his left leg. He has difficulty dorsiflexing his foot and has reduced sensation over the lateral shin.

What nerve root is most likely affected?