OTC Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield OTC facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. In a neurovascular assessment, 'paresthesia' refers to: → Abnormal sensations such as tingling, numbness, or burning
2. The Ottawa Ankle Rules are a clinical decision tool used primarily to determine the need for which diagnostic study? → Ankle radiographs
3. A Colles' fracture is a distal radius fracture characterized by which deformity? → Dorsal angulation
4. A patient presents 3 weeks after cast application with a documented fracture that appears malaligned on X-ray. The MOST appropriate initial step is: → Notify the supervising physician
5. When setting plaster of Paris casting material, the exothermic reaction can reach temperatures high enough to cause burns. To reduce this risk, the OT should: → Use cool water and avoid excess plaster thickness
6. Which term best describes a fracture where one bone end is driven into the other by compressive force? → Impacted fracture
7. According to the principles of Standard Precautions, when should an Orthopaedic Technologist wear gloves? → When anticipating contact with any blood, body fluids, or non-intact skin.
8. When removing a cast from a child, the preferred technique to reduce anxiety includes: → Demonstrating the saw on the parent's hand first
9. Which gait pattern is used when a patient can bear partial weight on one extremity and uses two crutches? → Three-point gait
10. During cast removal, the cast saw should be moved in which motion to minimize skin injury? → Up-and-down plunge motion without lateral sweeping
11. When an Orthopaedic Technologist is instructed to bivalve a cast to relieve pressure, what is the correct procedure? → Making two complete longitudinal cuts on opposite sides of the cast.
12. Which fracture type involves a fragment of bone being pulled away at a tendon or ligament attachment site? → Avulsion
13. In the RICE protocol for acute soft tissue injuries, what does the letter 'E' stand for? → Elevation
14. Which of the following is a primary advantage of using a sugar-tong splint over a circumferential cast for an acute, unstable distal forearm fracture? → It accommodates for initial swelling better than a circumferential cast.
15. Which traction type applies force directly through surgically implanted pins or wires into bone? → Skeletal traction
16. The PRIMARY reason for applying a well-molded cast rather than a poorly fitting one is to: → Prevent fracture displacement and maintain reduction
17. A patient reports inserting a pencil inside their cast to scratch an itch and now has increased pain at that site. The FIRST priority is: → Remove the cast and inspect for skin injury
18. Which fracture results from repetitive microtrauma and is commonly seen in distance runners and military recruits? → Stress
19. Which pulse is assessed at the dorsum of the foot to evaluate vascular integrity of the lower extremity distal to a tibial fracture? → Dorsalis pedis pulse
20. When applying a rigid cervical collar to a trauma patient, what is the MOST critical initial action before the device is placed around the neck? → Maintaining manual in-line stabilization of the head and neck.
21. Cast itch (pruritus) should be managed by: → Blowing cool air into the cast with a hair dryer on cool setting
22. A fracture occurring through bone that has been weakened by a pre-existing condition such as cancer or osteoporosis is classified as which type? → Pathologic fracture
23. What is the primary purpose of wound debridement in orthopaedic wound care? → Remove necrotic tissue and contamination to reduce infection risk
24. What is the correct technique for wound irrigation using normal saline in orthopaedic wound care? → Gentle low-pressure irrigation flowing from center outward
25. What is the primary therapeutic purpose of applying a pelvic binder or circumferential sheet to a patient with a suspected unstable pelvic fracture? → To reduce pelvic volume and provide compression to control hemorrhage.
26. When applying a fiberglass cast, the OT should wear gloves primarily to: → Protect against dermatitis from the resin
27. Which of the following methods is required to achieve surgical sterilization of instruments, such as pin cutters, that will be used in an invasive procedure? → Processing in an autoclave using steam under pressure.
28. The 5 P's used to assess neurovascular status in a casted limb include pain, pallor, pulselessness, paresthesia, and: → Paralysis
29. A patient with a short arm cast reports burning pain that started 30 minutes after application. The most appropriate immediate action is: → Bivalve the cast immediately
30. Which of the following BEST describes a Salter-Harris Type II fracture? → Fracture through the physis and metaphysis