Question

What is the most reliable sign of a bone or joint injury?
A) discoloration
B) point tenderness
C) edema
D) deformity

Answer 1

Answer:

D) deformity

Explanation:

In order to know for sure if the patient has a bone or joint injury, an x-ray examination is required as this is the only way to diagnose a fracture. However, there are some signs and symptoms of fracture that help identify an injured bone, the most reliable sign being the presence of deformation in the affected region that loses its normal appearance or appears to be outside its usual position. However, other signs may help to visualize a bone lesion, these signs are:

• Immediate pain caused by trauma, which gets worse when moving or compressing the affected area;
• Swelling;
• Bruising (purple spots) may appear on the skin;
• Difficulty in moving the affected limb or part (even if the person can move the site, the possibility of fracture should not be ruled out);
• Feeling that the bones are scraping each other, which may be accompanied by a characteristic noise (crackling).