Physiological Adaptation Q 106
A client suffered from a lower leg injury and seeks treatment in the emergency room. There is a prominent deformity to the lower aspect of the leg, and the injured leg appears shorter than the other leg. The affected leg is painful, swollen and beginning to become ecchymotic. The nurse interprets that the client is experiencing:
A. Fracture
B. Strain
C. Sprain
D. Contusion
Correct Answer: A. Fracture
Common signs and symptoms of fracture include pain, deformity, shortening of the extremity, crepitus and swelling. These injuries are associated with symptoms of pain, deformity, swelling, and a wound that may be bleeding. It should be noted that the wound may not lie directly over the fracture site. The movement and neurovascular status of all involved limbs should be assessed to ascertain whether or not there is a possible nerve or vascular injury associated with the fracture.
Option B: A foot strain is a stretching or tearing of the tendons and muscles in the foot. Common symptoms of strain include muscle pain and tenderness, local muscle swelling, black and blue discoloration, decrease in muscle strength, difficulty in walking, or a pop in the muscle at the time of injury.
Option C: Symptoms of sprain include swelling, tenderness, bruising, pain, inability to put weight on the affected ankle, skin discoloration, and stiffness. Acute ankle sprains are commonly seen in both primary care and sports medicine practices as well as emergency departments and can result in significant short-term morbidity, recurrent injuries, and functional instability.
Option D: Symptoms of contusion include discoloration of the skin, swelling, and tightness in the affected muscle or stiffness in the affected joint. A contusion, or bruise, forms when soft tissue in the body is crushed but the skin doesn’t break. When this happens, blood from broken capillaries (small blood vessels) near the skin’s surface may leak out under the skin. With no place to go, the blood gets trapped, often forming a red or purplish mark that hurts when it is touched.