Musculoskeletal Emergencies

Herniated intervertebral disc, spinal stenosis, and degenerative disc disease are all common causes of acute low back pain.

Clavicle fractures are the most common type of fracture in the upper extremity, accounting for approximately 15% of all fractures.

Pain out of proportion to the injury, swelling, and tenderness are all signs of a compartment syndrome.

Ankle dislocations are the most common type of dislocation in the lower extremity, accounting for approximately 10% of all dislocations.

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears, meniscus tears, and patellar dislocations are all common causes of acute knee pain.

Ankle fractures are the most common type of fracture in the lower extremity, accounting for approximately 15% of all fractures.

Pain with overhead activities, weakness with overhead activities, and tenderness over the rotator cuff are all signs of a rotator cuff tear.

Distal radius fractures are the most common type of fracture in the hand, accounting for approximately 20% of all hand fractures.

Numbness and tingling in the thumb, index, and middle fingers, pain in the wrist, and weakness in the hand are all signs of a carpal tunnel syndrome.

Calcaneus fractures are the most common type of fracture in the foot, accounting for approximately 20% of all foot fractures.

Pain in the heel, stiffness in the heel, and tenderness to the touch on the plantar fascia are all signs of a plantar fasciitis.

Olecranon fractures are the most common type of fracture in the elbow, accounting for approximately 10% of all elbow fractures.

Pain on the outside of the elbow, tenderness to the touch on the lateral epicondyle, and weakness in the wrist and hand are all signs of a tennis elbow.

Proximal humerus fractures are the most common type of fracture in the shoulder, accounting for approximately 5% of all fractures.

Pain with movement of the shoulder, stiffness of the shoulder, and loss of range of motion in the shoulder are all signs of a frozen shoulder.