ABOS Orthopaedic Sports Medicine cheat sheet

Anterior shoulder dislocation presents with abduction and external rotation; axillary nerve function and greater tuberosity integrity are checked before and after reduction.

Posterior shoulder dislocation is linked to seizures and electric shock; the lightbulb sign and trough line are classic radiographic findings.

Bankart lesions involve the anteroinferior labrum; Hill-Sachs lesions are posterolateral humeral head impaction fractures.

The Jobe empty-can test isolates supraspinatus; external rotation lag tests infraspinatus; the lift-off or belly-press test assesses subscapularis.

Rockwood type III AC separation tears both acromioclavicular and coracoclavicular ligaments; type V has greater than 100 percent superior clavicle displacement.

Adhesive capsulitis shows a capsular pattern with external rotation loss usually greater than abduction loss; both active and passive motion are restricted.

Little League shoulder is proximal humeral physeal widening in throwing athletes; the equivalent elbow injury is medial epicondylar apophysitis.

Suprascapular nerve entrapment at the spinoglenoid notch weakens infraspinatus only; suprascapular notch entrapment affects both supraspinatus and infraspinatus.

Medial ulnar collateral ligament injury in throwers is tested with the moving valgus stress and milking maneuvers; valgus laxity is greatest near 70 to 120 degrees flexion.

Valgus extension overload causes medial ulnar collateral ligament stress, lateral radiocapitellar compression, and posterior olecranon osteophytes.

Lateral epicondylitis involves the extensor carpi radialis brevis origin; Cozen and Mill tests reproduce lateral elbow pain.

Medial epicondylitis involves the pronator teres and flexor carpi radialis origin; resisted wrist flexion and pronation provoke symptoms.

Capitellar osteochondritis dissecans occurs in young gymnasts and throwers; lateral elbow pain, clicking, and locking are typical.

Posterior elbow dislocation is most common; brachial artery and ulnar nerve status must be documented before and after reduction.

Radial head subluxation, or nursemaid elbow, typically follows axial traction; forearm pronation and flexion during reduction are effective.

Scaphoid fracture follows a fall on an outstretched hand; snuffbox tenderness is common, the proximal pole is at risk for avascular necrosis, and initial radiographs may be negative.

Colles fracture has dorsal distal radius angulation; Smith fracture has volar angulation.

TFCC injury causes ulnar-sided wrist pain; the fovea sign and load test help localize the lesion.

De Quervain tenosynovitis involves the abductor pollicis longus and extensor pollicis brevis in the first dorsal compartment; Finkelstein test is provocative.

Boxer fracture is a fifth metacarpal neck fracture; ulnar gutter immobilization is common, and rotational alignment must be checked.

Jersey finger is flexor digitorum profundus avulsion; mallet finger is extensor terminal tendon disruption.

Gamekeeper thumb is ulnar collateral ligament injury at the thumb metacarpophalangeal joint; a Stener lesion can prevent ligament healing.

Hook of hamate fracture occurs in baseball and golf athletes; it causes ulnar-sided palm pain and ulnar nerve symptoms, and computed tomography is often needed.

Cam impingement is a femoral head-neck deformity; an increased alpha angle on imaging supports the diagnosis and labral tearing may coexist.

Pincer impingement is acetabular overcoverage; a crossover sign on anteroposterior pelvis radiograph suggests focal anterior overcoverage.

Acetabular labral tears often cause anterior groin pain; magnetic resonance arthrography improves visualization of labral and chondral injury.

Slipped capital femoral epiphysis occurs in adolescents, often obese, and may present with knee or thigh pain; frog-leg lateral radiographs show the slip.

Legg-Calve-Perthes disease is avascular necrosis of the femoral head in children, usually ages 4 to 8; Trendelenburg gait and hip stiffness may occur.

Posterior hip dislocation after dashboard trauma risks sciatic nerve injury; associated femoral head or acetabular fractures are common.

Athletic pubalgia causes chronic groin pain from abdominal wall, adductor, or pubic symphysis injury; resisted adduction or abdominal crunch may reproduce pain.

The Lachman test is most sensitive for anterior cruciate ligament injury; the pivot shift test is more specific, and hemarthrosis is common after acute rupture.

Posterior cruciate ligament insufficiency shows a posterior sag sign and positive Godfrey test; dashboard trauma is a classic mechanism.

Meniscal tears cause joint line tenderness and positive McMurray test; a displaced bucket-handle tear may lock the knee.

Medial collateral ligament injury is tested with valgus stress; grade I and II injuries are usually treated nonoperatively.

Posterolateral corner injury is tested with varus stress and dial test; peroneal nerve function must be documented.

Patellar dislocation often injures the medial patellofemoral ligament; apprehension testing and lateral patellar displacement support the diagnosis.

Quadriceps tendon rupture causes patella baja; patellar tendon rupture causes patella alta and inability to actively extend the knee.

Osteochondritis dissecans of the medial femoral condyle may produce Wilson sign with knee extension and internal rotation.

Knee dislocation requires evaluation of the popliteal artery and peroneal nerve; ankle-brachial index and vascular imaging are used when indicated.

The anterior talofibular ligament is the most commonly injured ligament in lateral ankle sprain; anterior drawer testing and inversion stress assess it.

Syndesmotic injury is provoked by external rotation and squeeze tests; tibiofibular clear space widening supports the diagnosis.

Achilles tendon rupture produces a positive Thompson test, palpable gap, and equinus posture.

Plantar fasciitis causes medial heel pain that is worst with the first steps; the windlass test may reproduce symptoms.

Jones fracture is at the fifth metatarsal metaphyseal-diaphyseal junction; poor blood supply makes nonunion more likely than with avulsion fractures.

Lisfranc injury disrupts the tarsometatarsal joint complex; a fleck sign or widening between the first and second metatarsal bases suggests the diagnosis.

Turf toe is a plantar metatarsophalangeal joint sprain from hyperextension; the first metatarsophalangeal joint is most commonly involved.

Sever disease is calcaneal apophysitis in running and jumping youths; pain localizes to the posterior calcaneus near the Achilles insertion.

Spondylolysis is a pars interarticularis stress fracture common in young athletes who perform repetitive extension; oblique radiographs may show a Scotty dog collar defect.

Spondylolisthesis is graded by Meyerding classification; the slip is measured as the percentage of superior vertebral displacement over the inferior body.

Burner syndrome causes transient unilateral arm pain and weakness from brachial plexus traction or cervical root compression.

Cervical cord neuropraxia causes bilateral symptoms after cervical extension or compression; recurrence risk increases with persistent canal stenosis.

Lumbar disc herniation causes radicular pain; straight leg raise is sensitive for L5 or S1 root irritation.

Cauda equina syndrome causes saddle anesthesia, bowel or bladder dysfunction, and bilateral leg weakness; urgent imaging is required.

Scheuermann kyphosis is anterior wedging of thoracic vertebrae in adolescents; it produces fixed thoracic kyphosis and may be associated with back pain.

Concussion causes transient neurologic symptoms after biomechanical forces; same-day return to play is not allowed.

Return to learn should precede return to sport after concussion; academic accommodations may be needed during symptom recovery.

Second impact syndrome is rare catastrophic brain swelling after a second head injury before recovery from an initial concussion.

Cervical spine clearance in an alert athlete uses clinical rules such as NEXUS; midline tenderness, neurologic deficit, intoxication, or distracting injury require imaging.

Orbital blowout fracture may trap the inferior rectus muscle, causing diplopia and restricted upward gaze; infraorbital nerve injury can cause numbness.

Dental avulsion is managed by reimplantation when possible; the tooth is transported in milk or saline and dental evaluation is urgent.

Burner syndrome is unilateral and transient; bilateral symptoms or persistent weakness suggest a more serious cervical injury.

Primary bone healing occurs without callus through direct osteonal remodeling when fracture fragments are rigidly compressed and anatomically reduced.

Secondary bone healing proceeds through inflammation, soft callus, hard callus, and remodeling; motion and micromotion favor callus formation.

Hyaline articular cartilage is avascular, contains type II collagen and proteoglycans, and has limited intrinsic healing capacity.

Tendon healing proceeds through inflammation, fibroplasia, and remodeling; fibroplasia initially produces type III collagen.

Ligament healing follows inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling; the medial collateral ligament has greater healing capacity than the anterior cruciate ligament.

Muscle strain is graded I to III; grade I is a minor stretch, grade II is partial tear, and grade III is complete disruption.

Mechanical stress equals force divided by cross-sectional area; strain is change in length divided by original length.

Corticosteroid injection can reduce pain but may inhibit collagen synthesis and weaken tendon or ligament tissue.

Return-to-play decisions require symptom control, full range of motion, adequate strength, normal functional testing, and sport-specific readiness.

After anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, athletes commonly return no earlier than 9 months; quadriceps strength above 90 percent and passing hop tests reduce reinjury risk.

Concussion return to play uses a stepwise progression from light aerobic activity to full contact; each step requires absence of symptoms.

Eccentric exercise is used for tendinopathy to improve tendon load tolerance and reduce pain over weeks.

Neuromuscular training combining balance, plyometrics, and landing mechanics reduces anterior cruciate ligament injury risk.

Blood flow restriction training can increase muscle strength at low loads but is avoided with uncontrolled hypertension or history of venous thrombosis.

Proprioceptive training after ankle sprain reduces recurrent sprain risk and is included in functional rehabilitation.

Throwing progression after shoulder or elbow injury advances from short toss to long toss and then mound throwing before competitive return.