Musculoskeletal Trauma

Musculoskeletal Trauma: a guide to assessment and diagnosis is a clinically focused text following patient journey from
presentation to diagnosis in musculoskeletal trauma. An understanding of this process is essential to ensure that
clinical assessment and diagnostic examinations inform decision making and effectively and efficiently optimize patient
care. This text is particularly timely given the increasing blurring of professional boundaries within the emergency
care setting and need for practitioners recognise the contribution of all professions to the patient care pathway and
enhance interdisciplinary communication.


Written by an experienced multiprofessional clinical team, the book systematically guides the practitioner from
musculoskeletal injury mechanisms, through clinical presentation and assessment, radiographic imaging and
interpretation, to the formulation of a diagnosis. It is a coherent, logical and informative guide to contemporary
practice for all emergency health care practitioners.


An introduction is provided to the principles of clinical assessment and radiographic technique. Radiographic images
are provided alongside photographs of radiographic positioning to enhance understanding of anatomical relationships and
image appearances. In addition, images of both clinical presentation and radiographic features of trauma are provided
to enhance understanding of clinical signs and symptoms of trauma and support accurate decision-making. Whilst
conventional imaging remains the mainstay for early diagnosis in the emergency department, the contribution of other
imaging modalities (in particular CT, MRI & ultrasound) are explored and illustrated with appropriate clinical cases.


Chapter 1: The principles of clinical assessment

Chapter 2: Soft tissue injuries

Chapter 3: Radiographic referral

Chapter 4: Principles of radiographic examination

Chapter 5: Reviewing radiographic images

Chapter 6: Further imaging in trauma

Chapter 7: Hand, fingers and thumb

Chapter 8: Wrist

Chapter 9: Elbow and forearm

Chapter 10: Shoulder and humerus

Chapter 11: Thoracic cage

Chapter 12: Spine

Chapter 13: Pelvis, hip and proximal femur

Chapter 14: Knee and lower leg

Chapter 15: Ankle and foot

Chapter 16: Skull and face

Glossary