Clinical Evaluation & Diagnosis Flashcards
7 cards from real ATC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Clinical Evaluation & Diagnosis flashcards as text
An athlete presents with sudden sharp pain in the posterior thigh during sprinting. Ecchymosis appears distal to the ischial tuberosity 24 hours later. The most likely diagnosis is:
Answer: Proximal hamstring avulsion
Proximal hamstring avulsions often cause ecchymosis tracking distally due to bleeding from the ischial tuberosity attachment site.
When using the Ottawa Ankle Rules, which finding indicates the need for radiographic imaging?
Answer: Bone tenderness at the posterior edge of the lateral malleolus
Ottawa Ankle Rules call for X-rays if there is bone tenderness at the posterior or distal 6 cm of either malleolus or at the base of the fifth metatarsal or navicular.
Which clinical sign would raise concern for an acute compartment syndrome following a lower leg injury?
Answer: Pain with passive stretch of muscles within the compartment
Pain disproportionate to injury and worsening with passive stretch is a hallmark of acute compartment syndrome due to elevated intracompartmental pressure.
During a shoulder evaluation, a patient demonstrates a 'sulcus sign' with downward traction on the arm. This finding indicates:
Answer: Multidirectional instability
The sulcus sign (indentation below the acromion during inferior traction) indicates inferior glenohumeral laxity, a hallmark of multidirectional instability.
A gymnast reports anterior knee pain that is worse going down stairs. Palpation reveals tenderness at the inferior pole of the patella. The most likely diagnosis is:
Answer: Patellar tendinopathy
Patellar tendinopathy (jumper's knee) classically presents with inferior patellar pole tenderness exacerbated by eccentric loading such as descending stairs.
Which cranial nerve assessment is most critical following a facial impact that results in loss of smell?
Answer: Cranial nerve I (olfactory)
Anosmia (loss of smell) following head trauma indicates disruption of cranial nerve I, the olfactory nerve.
When evaluating a suspected acromioclavicular (AC) joint sprain, which test assesses AC joint integrity by applying horizontal adduction force?
Answer: Cross-body adduction test
The cross-body adduction test compresses the AC joint by horizontally adducting the shoulder, reproducing pain if the AC joint is involved.