Comprehensive Musculoskeletal Nursing Assessment, Joint and Bone Pathophysiology, ROM Testing, Muscle Strength Evaluation, Tendon and Ligament Function, Shoulder and Rotator Cuff Disorders, Spinal Curvature and Alignment, Osteoporosis and Osteomalacia Ris

Comprehensive Musculoskeletal Nursing Assessment, Joint and Bone Pathophysiology, ROM Testing, Muscle Strength Evaluation, Tendon and Ligament Function, Shoulder and Rotator Cuff Disorders, Spinal Curvature and Alignment, Osteoporosis and Osteomalacia Risk, Arthritis and Gout Assessment, Carpal Tunnel and TMJ Dysfunction, Knee and Hip Joint Examination, Reflex and Neuromuscular Integration, Bursitis and Myalgia Identification, Age-Related Musculoskeletal Changes, Health Promotion and Injury Prevention, Postural Assessment, Flexion and Extension Dynamics, Abduction and Adduction Testing, Goniometer Measurement, Pharmacologic and Lifestyle Risk Factors, Screening and Referral Guidelines, High-Yield NCLEX Musculoskeletal Review Exam Questions Verified and Provided with A+ Graded Rationales Latest Updated 2026 1. A client has suffered a suspected a rotator cuff tear. Which of the following would the nurse expect to find? A) Limitation of all shoulder motion B) Chronic pain C) Limited abduction D) Sharp catches of pain with movement C) Limited abduction 2. After teaching a group of students about the bones and their functions, the instructor determines that the teaching was successful when the students state that blood cells are produced in which of the following? A) Compact bone B) Red marrow C) Yellow marrow D) Spongy bone B) Red marrow 3. A client complains of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain. Which of the following would the nurse most likely assess? A) Joint dislocation B) History of fracture C) History of dental abscess D) Difficulty chewing D) Difficulty chewing 4. Assessment reveals that an older adult client has osteomalacia. Which of the following would be most important to include in the client's teaching plan? A) Practice risk prevention for fractures. B) Keep exercise to a minimum to decrease pain. C) Minimize movements to maintain joint stability. D) Treat secondary arthritis proactively. A) Practice risk prevention for fractures. 5. Which of the following would the nurse expect to find when examining a client with a herniated lumbar disc? A) Rounded thoracic convexity B) Lumbar lordosis C) Flattened lumbar curve D) Lateral curvature of the spine C) Flattened lumbar curve 6. The nurse is assessing an adolescent client and notes 45-degree flexion of the cervical spine. What is the nurse's most appropriate action? A) Facilitate a referral for medical follow up. B) Palpate the spinous processes. C) Perform the LasËgue test. D) Continue the exam because this curve is normal. D) Continue the exam because this curve is normal. 7. When asked to touch her ear to her shoulder, a client reports pain. Which of the following should the nurse do next? A) Perform muscle strength against resistance. B) Refer the client for further evaluation. C) Flex and then hyperextend the neck. D) Palpate the paravertebral muscles for pain. B) Refer the client for further evaluation. 8. Which test would be most appropriate for the nurse to perform when a client complains of low back pain? A) Straight leg test B) Muscle leg strength C) Lateral bending of cervical spine D) Internal rotation of the shoulders A) Straight leg test 9. A nurse asks a client to bring his hands together behind his head with his elbows flexed. The nurse is testing which of the following? A) Abduction B) Adduction C) Internal rotation D) External rotation D) External rotation 10. Which of the following would the nurse interpret as a positive response to the Phalen test for a client suspected of having carpal tunnel syndrome? A) Numbness B) Atrophy of the thenar prominence C) No tingling D) Hard, painless Bouchard nodes A) Numbness 11. A nurse is preparing a program on osteoporosis for a local women's group. Which of the following should the nurse cite as a risk factor? A) Obesity B) Multiparity (multiple pregnancies) C) History of smoking D) African-American ethnicity C) History of smoking 12. Which of the following would be most appropriate when the nurse notes limitation in active range of motion of a client's right shoulder? A) Test muscle strength. B) Perform passive range of motion test. C) Measure range of motion with a goniometer. D) Ask the client which is the dominant side. C) Measure range of motion with a goniometer. 13. When testing muscle strength, a client has difficulty moving her right arm against resistance. Which of the following should the nurse do next? A) Move the part passively through its range of motion. B) Ask the client to move the part against gravity. C) Inspect by touch for a palpable contraction of the muscle. D) Percuss the client's shoulder joint B) Ask the client to move the part against gravity. 14. Assessment reveals that a client has slight weakness with active range of motion against some resistance. The nurse would document this as which of the following? A) 2/5 B) 3/5 C) 4/5