Mastering Orthopedics for NEET-PG and INI-CET in Just 2 Days

Daily Targets

  • Read/Revise 3–4 hours.
  • Solve 100–120 MCQs/day (25–30 per block, timed) with an error log.
  • Make 3–5 mini‑cards/day (fracture classifications, nerve injuries, pediatric angles, tumor one‑liners, emergency algorithms).

Day 1 — Trauma & Fractures, Upper/Lower Limb, Emergencies, Pediatric Ortho & Imaging

Principles of fracture care

  • Definitions: fracture, dislocation, subluxation, sprain, strain; open vs closed; stable vs unstable.
  • Primary survey mindset: ABCs in polytrauma; hemorrhage control; splintage before transport.
  • Fracture healing: primary vs secondary; stages; factors affecting; delayed/non‑union, malunion; avascular necrosis (AVN) risk sites (scaphoid proximal pole, femoral head/neck, talus, lunate).
  • Reduction methods: closed vs open; fixation overview (cast, traction, external fixator, plates/screws, IM nails).

Orthopedic emergencies — first steps

  • Open fractures: irrigation, IV antibiotics, tetanus, urgent debridement, stabilization.
  • Compartment syndrome: 6 Ps (pain out of proportion earliest); fasciotomy.
  • Neurovascular injury: assess and document; urgent reduction if threatened limb.
  • Dislocations requiring urgent reduction: hip, knee, elbow, ankle, shoulder with neurovascular compromise.
  • Septic arthritis: acute painful joint with fever — aspirate and IV antibiotics; do not delay.

Upper limb trauma

  • Clavicle: middle‑third most common; figure‑of‑eight/slings; surgery in open/skin‑threat/marked displacement.
  • Proximal humerus: Neer fragments concept; axillary nerve check; sling vs ORIF.
  • Shoulder dislocation: anterior most common; Hill‑Sachs/Bankart; axillary nerve exam; reduction then immobilize.
  • Humerus shaft: radial nerve palsy (wrist drop) association; functional bracing vs surgery.
  • Supracondylar humerus (children): extension type common; anterior interosseous nerve check; compartment syndrome risk; CRPP.
  • Lateral condyle humerus (child): displaced → surgery to avoid non‑union/cubitus valgus.
  • Elbow dislocation: posterior common; brachial artery/median nerve; reduce urgently.
  • Forearm both‑bone fractures: need anatomic reduction; ORIF in adults.
  • Monteggia (ulna # + radial head dislocation) vs Galeazzi (radius # + DRUJ injury) — recognition and management outline.
  • Distal radius (Colles/Smith/Barton): deformity patterns; median nerve check.
  • Scaphoid: snuffbox tenderness; risk of AVN; initial thumb spica even if X‑ray normal; repeat imaging.
  • Hand injuries: mallet finger, jersey finger, Bennett/Rolando base of 1st metacarpal; flexor tendon injuries — urgent referral.

Lower limb trauma

  • Pelvis & acetabulum: hemodynamic instability; binder; pelvic ring injuries — external fixation concept.
  • Hip fractures: intracapsular (femoral neck) vs extracapsular (intertrochanteric/subtrochanteric); Garden classification idea; arthroplasty vs fixation based on age/displacement.
  • Hip dislocation: posterior most common (dashboard injury); sciatic nerve check; emergent reduction to reduce AVN.
  • Femur shaft: IM nailing standard; fat embolism syndrome recognition.
  • Knee injuries: tibial plateau fractures; PCL/ACL injuries (Lachman anterior drawer), meniscus (McMurray), patellar dislocation basics.
  • Tibia shaft: common open injuries; compartment syndrome risk.
  • Ankle: Weber classification idea; Maisonneuve injury concept; syndesmotic injuries.
  • Calcaneus: Bohler’s angle idea; spinal injury association.
  • Foot: Lisfranc injury red flags; metatarsal base # (Jones) vs avulsion; talus AVN risk.

Pediatric orthopedics — essentials

  • Physeal injuries: Salter–Harris I–V quick cues; management principle.
  • Developmental dysplasia of hip (DDH): risk factors; Barlow/Ortolani; Pavlik harness; late presentation → reduction and spica.
  • Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE): adolescent with hip/knee pain; external rotation; in‑situ pinning.
  • Perthes disease: avascular necrosis of femoral head in children; age and prognosis concept.
  • Genu varum/valgum physiological vs pathological; Blount disease cue.
  • Clubfoot (CTEV): Ponseti method basics; Achilles tenotomy.
  • Nursemaid’s elbow (radial head subluxation): reduction maneuver.

Imaging pearls

  • X‑ray: two views, include joint above and below; compare sides in children when needed.
  • CT for complex articular fractures; MRI for ligament/meniscus/occult fractures; bone scan/PET concept.
  • Fracture eponyms and lines: Shenton’s line (hip), Bohler’s angle (calcaneus), scapholunate angle idea.

Day‑1 MCQs focus

  • AVN risk bones; nerve injuries by fracture (radial with humerus shaft; axillary with shoulder dislocation; sciatic with posterior hip dislocation; AIN with supracondylar); Salter–Harris; Monteggia vs Galeazzi; compartment syndrome earliest sign; DDH/SCFE clues; Lisfranc red flags.

Day 2 — Spine, Tumors & Infections, Deformity & Sports, Arthritis, Prosthetics, Complications & Rehab

Spine

  • Cervical injuries: whiplash vs fracture–dislocation; odontoid # types; central cord syndrome concept.
  • Thoracolumbar injuries: burst vs wedge; Denis three‑column concept; neurologic exam and imaging.
  • Disc herniation: dermatomes; straight‑leg raise; cauda equina red flags (saddle anesthesia, urinary retention) — urgent decompression.
  • Spondylolisthesis: isthmic vs degenerative; grading idea.
  • Spinal TB (Pott disease): paradiscal involvement, gibbus, cold abscess; neurology risk; anti‑TB therapy + stabilization concept.

Bone & soft‑tissue tumors

  • Benign bone: osteochondroma, osteoid osteoma (night pain relieved by NSAIDs), enchondroma, unicameral bone cyst.
  • Malignant bone: osteosarcoma (sunburst, Codman triangle; metaphyseal), Ewing sarcoma (onion skin), chondrosarcoma; metastases commonest malignant bone lesions.
  • Workup: X‑ray first; MRI for local extent; biopsy principles (tract planning); staging concept.
  • Tumor‑like lesions: fibrous dysplasia, non‑ossifying fibroma; simple pearls.

Orthopedic infections

  • Osteomyelitis: acute hematogenous in children; chronic with sequestrum/involucrum; causative organisms overview; management outline.
  • Septic arthritis: single hot joint; aspiration, Gram stain/culture; empirical antibiotics then tailored.
  • TB of bone/joint: spine, hip, knee common; cold abscess; sinuses; ATT and debridement/stabilization as needed.

Deformity, foot & ankle, and sports

  • Foot deformities: flatfoot (flexible vs rigid), hallux valgus basics; plantar fasciitis; Achilles tendinopathy.
  • Knee sports: ACL tear (pivot shift, Lachman), MCL/LCL basics, meniscus tears (joint line tenderness, locking); rehab concepts.
  • Shoulder sports: rotator cuff tendinopathy/tears; impingement; instability overview.
  • Overuse injuries: stress fractures; shin splints; tennis elbow; de Quervain tenosynovitis.

Arthritis & peri‑articular disorders (ortho lens)

  • Osteoarthritis: risk factors; radiographic features (joint space narrowing, osteophytes, subchondral sclerosis/cysts); non‑op vs TKA/THA indicators.
  • Inflammatory arthritis pointers (very brief): RA hand deformities (swan neck, boutonnière, ulnar deviation); cervical spine C1–C2 instability caution.
  • Crystal arthropathy: gout (first MTP), pseudogout (CPPD); aspiration crystals idea.
  • Peri‑articular: frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis), lateral epicondylitis, trigger finger, ganglion cysts; basic management ladder.

Arthroplasty & prosthetics

  • Hip: THA vs hemiarthroplasty indications; dislocation precautions; DVT prophylaxis concept.
  • Knee: TKA indications; patellar tracking issues basics.
  • Implant basics: cemented vs uncemented; bearing surfaces; infection prevention bundle; periprosthetic fracture awareness.

Nerve injuries & regional

  • Upper limb: Erb palsy (C5–C6), Klumpke (C8–T1), radial palsy (wrist drop), ulnar (claw), median (ape hand), AIN palsy; carpal tunnel.
  • Lower limb: common peroneal (foot drop), tibial, femoral, sciatic; tarsal tunnel.

Complications & rehab

  • DVT/PE risk; fat embolism (triad: hypoxemia, neuro changes, petechiae); heterotopic ossification.
  • CRPS features and early recognition; osteoporosis secondary prevention after fragility fractures.
  • Physiotherapy milestones; weight‑bearing protocols; gait training; orthoses overview.

Day‑2 MCQs focus

  • Pott disease clues; cauda equina red flags; osteoid osteoma vs osteosarcoma vs Ewing patterns; septic arthritis first step; ACL vs meniscus tests; OA X‑ray features; THA vs hemi indications; fat embolism triad; common nerve palsies.

Rapid Revision (Evening of Day 2)

  • AVN‑prone bones; emergency list (open #, compartment, septic arthritis, dislocations with NV compromise).
  • Nerve injury cheatsheet: fracture/dislocation associations.
  • Pediatric hip trio: DDH vs SCFE vs Perthes one‑liners; Salter–Harris types.
  • Monteggia vs Galeazzi; Lisfranc red flags; Bohler’s & Shenton’s quick cues.
  • Spine: cauda equina, central cord; Pott disease snapshot; Denis columns.
  • Tumors: osteosarcoma (sunburst/Codman), Ewing (onion skin), osteoid osteoma (NSAID‑responsive night pain).
  • OA vs RA pointers; ACL/Lachman vs meniscus/McMurray; fat embolism triad.

Practice Pattern (both days)

  • Timed MCQ blocks → immediate review → write one rule learned from each error.
  • Vignette flow: identify injury → check NV status → choose imaging → initial stabilization → definitive plan.
  • Mini‑cards to carry: fracture–nerve map; Salter–Harris; hip fracture choices; dislocation urgent reductions; tumor radiograph patterns; compartment syndrome signs; pediatric hip algorithms.
Back to blog