NEET PG Rapid Revision
Orthopaedics One-Liners for NEET PG: Rapid Revision
High-yield orthopaedics one-liners for NEET PG covering fractures, bone tumours, joint diseases, nerve injuries and congenital orthopaedic conditions.
MedNext Academy | 6 min read
Orthopaedics One-Liners for NEET PG: Rapid Revision
High-yield orthopaedics one-liners for NEET PG covering fractures, bone tumours, joint diseases, nerve injuries and congenital orthopaedic conditions.
Orthopaedics: rapid revision one-liners for NEET PG
Orthopaedics in NEET PG focuses on fractures and dislocations, bone tumours, metabolic bone diseases, joint diseases, nerve injuries and congenital musculoskeletal conditions. Questions are heavily based on clinical and radiological presentations.
These one-liners cover the classic fracture patterns, associated injuries, bone tumour radiological features and orthopaedic eponyms that are most frequently tested.
Must-know one-liners
- Colles fracture: distal radius fracture with dorsal displacement and angulation; dinner fork deformity; most common wrist fracture
- Smith fracture: distal radius fracture with volar displacement (reverse Colles); garden spade deformity
- Scaphoid fracture: most common carpal bone fracture; anatomical snuffbox tenderness; risk of avascular necrosis (AVN) of the proximal fragment
- Monteggia fracture: proximal ulna fracture with dislocation of the radial head
- Galeazzi fracture: distal radius fracture with dislocation of the distal radioulnar joint
- Supracondylar fracture of the humerus: most common elbow fracture in children; risk of brachial artery injury and Volkmann ischaemic contracture
- Volkmann ischaemic contracture: forearm compartment syndrome leading to flexion deformity of the wrist and fingers; claw hand
- Fracture neck of femur: intracapsular fractures have risk of AVN (blood supply from medial circumflex femoral artery); Garden classification I-IV
- Garden classification of femoral neck fractures: I (incomplete/impacted), II (complete undisplaced), III (partially displaced), IV (fully displaced)
- Intracapsular neck of femur fracture in elderly: hemiarthroplasty (displaced, elderly); internal fixation (undisplaced or young patients); total hip replacement in active elderly
- Intertrochanteric fracture: extracapsular; treated with dynamic hip screw (DHS) or intramedullary nail
- March fracture: stress fracture of the second or third metatarsal
- Potts fracture: fracture of the fibula with injury to the inferior tibiofibular joint (ankle fracture-dislocation)
- Fracture shaft of femur: most commonly involves the middle third; treated with intramedullary interlocking nail
- Anterior dislocation of the shoulder is the most common joint dislocation; axillary nerve injury; Bankart lesion (anterior labral tear) and Hill-Sachs lesion (posterolateral humeral head defect)
- Posterior dislocation of the shoulder: associated with epileptic seizures and electric shock; lightbulb sign on X-ray
- Posterior dislocation of the hip: most common hip dislocation; sciatic nerve injury; associated with dashboard injury
- Osteosarcoma: most common primary malignant bone tumour in young adults; metaphysis of long bones (around the knee); Codman triangle and sunburst pattern on X-ray
- Ewing sarcoma: diaphysis of long bones in children and adolescents; onion-skin periosteal reaction on X-ray; t(11;22) translocation; small round blue cell tumour
- Giant cell tumour (GCT): epiphysis of long bones in young adults; soap-bubble appearance on X-ray; locally aggressive
- Chondrosarcoma: most common malignant bone tumour in adults over 40; pelvis and proximal femur
- Multiple myeloma: most common primary malignant bone tumour overall; punched-out lytic lesions on skull X-ray; Bence Jones proteinuria
- Osteochondroma (exostosis): most common benign bone tumour; arises from the metaphysis and grows away from the joint
- Enchondroma: benign cartilage tumour within the medullary cavity; most common in small bones of the hand; Ollier disease (multiple enchondromas)
- Paget disease of bone: increased bone turnover; elevated alkaline phosphatase with normal calcium and phosphorus; risk of osteosarcoma (< 1%)
- Rickets (children)/Osteomalacia (adults): defective mineralisation of bone due to vitamin D deficiency; rachitic rosary, bowing of legs in children
- Osteoporosis: T-score <= -2.5 on DEXA scan; most common metabolic bone disease; bisphosphonates are first-line treatment
- Septic arthritis: medical emergency; most common organism is Staphylococcus aureus; joint aspiration is diagnostic; IV antibiotics and joint washout
- Perthes disease (Legg-Calve-Perthes): AVN of the femoral head in children (4-8 years); painless limp; Catterall and Herring classifications
- Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE): adolescent, obese; posterior slip of the femoral epiphysis; Trethowan sign (Klein line does not intersect the femoral head on AP view)
- Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH): Barlow test (dislocatable) and Ortolani test (reducible); ultrasound diagnosis before 6 months
- Erb palsy (C5, C6): waiter tip position; Klumpke palsy (C8, T1): claw hand with Horner syndrome (if T1 root involved)
- Claw hand: ulnar nerve lesion; hyperextension at MCP joints and flexion at IP joints of ring and little fingers
- Wrist drop: radial nerve palsy; loss of wrist and finger extension
- Foot drop: common peroneal nerve injury at fibular neck; loss of dorsiflexion and eversion
- Saturday night palsy: radial nerve compression in the spiral groove of the humerus
- Carpal tunnel syndrome: median nerve compression at the wrist; thenar wasting, Tinel sign and Phalen sign positive; nerve conduction study is confirmatory
- Dupuytren contracture: thickening and contracture of the palmar fascia; ring finger most commonly affected; associated with alcoholism, diabetes, epilepsy
- De Quervain tenosynovitis: stenosing tenosynovitis of the first extensor compartment (APL and EPB); positive Finkelstein test
- Trigger finger: stenosing tenosynovitis of the flexor tendon sheath at the A1 pulley; clicking/locking of the finger
- Club foot (CTEV -- congenital talipes equinovarus): most common congenital foot deformity; Ponseti method (serial casting) is the standard treatment
- Genu varum (bow legs) is physiological up to 2 years; genu valgum (knock knees) is physiological from 2 to 7 years
- Compartment syndrome: severe pain out of proportion, pain on passive stretch; fasciotomy is the definitive treatment; normal pulse does NOT rule it out
- Fat embolism syndrome: 24-72 hours after long bone fracture; respiratory distress, petechiae, neurological symptoms
- Fracture healing: haematoma formation, inflammatory phase, soft callus (cartilaginous), hard callus (woven bone), remodelling (lamellar bone)
- Non-union vs delayed union: non-union shows sclerosed bone ends with no callus formation; delayed union is failure to unite in the expected time but still viable
- Bennett fracture: intra-articular fracture-dislocation at the base of the first metacarpal
- Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) involves the extensor carpi radialis brevis; golfer elbow (medial epicondylitis) involves the common flexor origin
- Trendelenburg test is positive when the pelvis drops on the unsupported side during single-leg stance; indicates weak hip abductors (gluteus medius/minimus)
- Congenital torticollis is due to contracture/fibrosis of the sternocleidomastoid muscle; head tilts to the affected side, chin rotates to the opposite side
How to use these one-liners
Orthopaedic one-liners are best revised alongside radiological images. For each fracture, visualise the X-ray appearance and associated injuries. For bone tumours, link the X-ray pattern to the tumour type.
Group fractures by anatomical region (upper limb, lower limb, spine) and learn the management ladder: conservative (cast, splint) vs operative (ORIF, nailing, arthroplasty). Pay special attention to neurovascular complications of specific fractures.
Key mnemonics
Monteggia = proximal Ulna fracture + Radial head dislocation (MU-RD). Galeazzi = distal Radius fracture + DRUJ dislocation (GR-DD -- reversed pattern).
Codman triangle = Osteosarcoma; Onion-skin = Ewing; Soap-bubble = GCT.
DDH tests: Barlow Bumps it out (dislocates); Ortolani is OK (reduces it back in).
Revision schedule
Orthopaedics one-liners should be revised every 3-4 days. Focus one session on fractures and dislocations, another on bone tumours and metabolic bone diseases, and a third on paediatric orthopaedics and nerve injuries. In the final week, do one complete run-through daily.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many orthopaedics questions appear in NEET PG?
Typically 10-15 questions. Fractures and their complications, bone tumours, paediatric orthopaedics (DDH, Perthes, CTEV) and nerve injuries are the most commonly tested.
Are X-ray images asked in the exam?
Yes, image-based questions are increasingly common. Be able to identify common fracture patterns, bone tumour appearances and joint pathology from plain radiographs.
How important are eponymous fractures?
Very important. Colles, Smith, Monteggia, Galeazzi, Potts, Bennett and Barton fractures are all classic exam topics. Know the fracture pattern, mechanism and associated injuries for each.
Should I study Maheshwari or Ebnezar?
Maheshwari is the most commonly used text for NEET PG preparation. Supplement with one-liners and image-based practice for the best results.
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