First Aid Musculoskeletal Injury Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A hiker falls and suspects a broken ankle. The ankle is swollen but the skin is intact. Which mnemonic best guides your initial treatment?
- PRICE (Protect, Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate) (Correct answer)
- ABCDE (Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure)
- SAMPLE (Signs, Allergies, Medications, Past, Last, Events)
- FAST (Face, Arms, Speech, Time)
Correct answer: PRICE (Protect, Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate)
PRICE is the standard first aid protocol for closed musculoskeletal injuries like sprains and suspected fractures.
Question 2: You find someone with a suspected femur fracture after a car accident. They are pale, sweaty, and confused. What is your primary concern beyond the fracture itself?
- Hypovolemic shock from internal blood loss (Correct answer)
- Nerve damage causing permanent paralysis
- Compartment syndrome developing immediately
- Fat embolism traveling to the lungs
Correct answer: Hypovolemic shock from internal blood loss
A femur fracture can cause 1–2 liters of hidden blood loss into the thigh, rapidly leading to life-threatening hypovolemic shock.
Question 3: When applying a splint to a suspected forearm fracture, you should immobilize which joints?
- The wrist and elbow (joints above and below the fracture) (Correct answer)
- Only the fracture site itself
- The elbow and shoulder
- The wrist and fingers only
Correct answer: The wrist and elbow (joints above and below the fracture)
Proper splinting always immobilizes the joint above and below the fracture site to prevent movement and further injury.
Question 4: A child complains of knee pain after a soccer collision. You notice the kneecap appears displaced to one side. This presentation is most consistent with:
- Patellar dislocation (Correct answer)
- Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear
- Medial collateral ligament (MCL) sprain
- Tibial plateau fracture
Correct answer: Patellar dislocation
A visibly displaced kneecap is the hallmark sign of a patellar dislocation, which is common in young athletes.
Question 5: How long should an ice pack be applied to a musculoskeletal injury during each icing session?
- 15–20 minutes (Correct answer)
- 5 minutes
- 45–60 minutes
- Until the skin turns red
Correct answer: 15–20 minutes
Applying ice for 15–20 minutes prevents frostbite while providing effective pain relief and swelling reduction.
Question 6: A construction worker has a steel rod impaled through his calf. The rod is still in place. The correct first aid action is to:
- Stabilize the object in place and do not remove it (Correct answer)
- Pull the rod out quickly and apply direct pressure
- Cut the rod shorter to reduce its weight
- Leave the patient and call 911 without any other intervention
Correct answer: Stabilize the object in place and do not remove it
Impaled objects must never be removed in the field because they may be tamponading bleeding; stabilize them and await EMS.
Question 7: After splinting a lower leg fracture, you check the patient's toes and find them cold, pale, and the patient reports numbness. What do you do?
- Loosen the splint immediately and recheck circulation (Correct answer)
- Apply more padding and tighten the splint
- Elevate the limb higher and recheck in 30 minutes
- This is normal after splinting; continue monitoring
Correct answer: Loosen the splint immediately and recheck circulation
Cold, pale, numb digits indicate compromised circulation from a splint that is too tight, requiring immediate loosening.
First Aid Musculoskeletal Injury Management 2
A hiker falls and suspects a broken ankle.
The ankle is swollen but the skin is intact.
Which mnemonic best guides your initial treatment?