Musculoskeletal system mnemonics

1. In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Musculoskeletal system mnemonics
Epidermis layers
·"Can Lori Get Some Gas?"
· From superficial to deep:
Corneum
Lucidum
Granulosum
Spinosum
Basale [Germinativum]
anatomy
Saphenous veins: path of great vs. small at malleolus "MAGdelaine has
varicose veins" [The saphenous veins are important for varicose veins]:
Medial maleolus, Anterior to maleolus, and Great saphenous go together.
Then the opposites of these go together: Small saphenous is posterior to
the lateral maleolus.
Lumbar plexus roots "2 from 1, 2 from 2, 2 from 3":
2 nerves from 1 root: Ilioinguinal (L1), Iliohypogastric (L1).
2 nerves from 2 roots: Genitofemoral (L1,L2), Lateral Femoral (L2,L3).
2 nerves from 3 roots: Obturator (L2,L3,L4), Femoral (L2,L3,L4).
Femoral artery deep branches "Put My Leg Down Please":
Profundus femoris (deep femoral artery)
Medial circumflex femoral artery
Lateral circumflex femoral artery
Descending genicular arteries
Perforating arteries
Psoas major: innervation If you hit L2, 3, 4
Psoas gets sore!

2. Soleus vs. gastrocnemius muscle function "Stand on your Soles.
Explosive gas":
You stand on soles of your shoes, so Soleus is for posture.
Gasoline is explosive, so Gastrocnemius is for explosive movement.
Structures that pass behind medial malleolus deep to flexor retinaculum
(From anterior to posterior):
Remember: Tall Doctors Are Never Hungry.
Tibialis posterior,
flexor Digitorum longus,
posterior tibial Artery,
tibial Nerve,
Menisci attachments in knee "Each meniscus has something attached to it":
The medial meniscus has the medial collateral ligament.
The lateral meniscus is attached to the popliteal muscle.
All muscles of LARynx are supplied by RECcurent laryngeal nerve except
the CRICothyroid"
Medial pterygoid closes your mouth - When you say "M" you have to close
your mouth.
Lateral pterygoid opens your mouth - When you say "L" you have to open
your mouth.
Lower limb peripheral nerve injurys "Drop into a DEeP PIT and shuffle your
way out":
Foot Drop results from Dorsiflexors and Evertors paralysis, due to
common Peroneal nerve lesion.
Plantarflexion and Inversion impairment due to Tibial nerve lesion, results
in a shuffling gait.
DDH - Clinical Examination (Tests)

3. Ortholani's and Barlow's tests detect DDH. You might confuse between the
two tests or you may feel that both are the same. First, here is what the tests
are:
 Barlow's test: The maneuver is performed by adducting the hip while
applying light pressure on the knee, directing the force posteriorly. If the hip
is dislocatable, the test is considered positive. The Ortolani maneuver is then
used, to confirm that the positive finding (i.e., that the hip actually
dislocated).
 Ortholoni's test: It is performed by gently abducting the infant's leg
using the examiner's thumb while placing anterior pressure on the greater
trochanter using the examiner's index and forefinger. A positive sign is a
distinctive 'clunk' which can be heard and felt as the femoral head relocates
anteriorly into the acetabulum.
Now here's how to remember the two tests:
Barlow's test - you feel the Dislocation - so Barlow's test is Bad test as you
aredislocating from joint.
ORTHOlani - you try to feel the Reduction - like ORTHOpedicians reducing all
fractures and dislocations.

The picture mnemonic will give you facts and associations of Developmental
Dysplasia of Hip (DDH)
LudlOFF sign : Avulsion of lesser trochanter ( Lesser trochanter has
come OFF )
 ADson's test is for cervical rib / thoracic outlet syndrome (
RememberADDed rib )

4.  ALLI's test is for CDH ( Remember ALLICe )
Innervation of Extra Occular muscles
Remember LR6SO4 :
Lateral Rectus is supplied by 6th cranial nerve,
Superior Oblique by 4th
and the rest of extraoccular muscles by occulomotor.
Cervical plexus: arrangement of the important nerves "GLAST":
· 4 compass points: clockwise from north on the right side of neck:
Great auricular
Lesser occipital
Accessory nerve pops out between L and S
Supraclavicular
Transverse cervical
Ear: bones of inner ear Take a Hammer: Malleus
Hit an Indian Elephant: Incus
It puts its foot in a stirrup: Stapes
· Describes the shape, and relative position (from out to in) of the inner ear
bones.
· Alternatively: "Mailing Includes Stamps".
External carotid artery
branches "Some Aggressive Lovers Find Odd Positions More Stimulating":
Superior thyroid
Ascending pharyngeal
Lingual
Facial
Occiptal
Posterior auricular
Maxillary
Superficial temporal

5. Pharma
Remember Photosensitivity causing drugs are PQRST:
Phenothiazine, Psoralen,
Quinines,
Retinoids,
Sulphonamides,
Tetracyclines, Thiazines
patho
Causes of osteoporosis are ACCESS :
Alcohol
Corticosteroids
Calcium deficiancy (low intake)
Eostrogen deficiency
Smoking
Sedentary Lifestyle
Bouchard's and Heberden's nodes
These nodes are found in Osteoarthritis of the hand.
 Bouchard's - Osteoarthritic nodes in proximal interphalangeal joint
 Heberden's - Osteoarthritic nodes in distal IP joint
Confused about whose proximal and whose distal. How to remember ? - See
2 methods below:
 B comes before H, so Bouchard's is in proximal IP joint
 When you hold a Bat, you use more of your proximal IPJ i.e. B for Bat
and Bouchard's. When you hold a Hair (H for Heberden's) you use more of
your distal IPJ

6. Seronegative spondyloarthropathies
Sero negative spondyloarthropathies are:
Remember RAP(P)E -
R- Reiters syndrome
A- Ankylosing spondylitis
P- Psoriatic arthropathy
P- Pseudogout
E- Enteropathic arthritis(chrons disease,ulcerative colitis,behchets syndrome)
This mnemonic was sent by Mr. Kamal A.P. for benefit of all our readers.
Thanks again.
Generalized skin hyperpigmentation: causes
"With generalized, none of skin is SPARED":
Sunlight
Pregnancy
Addison's disease
Renal failure
Excess iron (haemochromatosis)
Drugs (eg busulphan)
Nodules: painful cutaneous nodules causes
BENGAL CO.:
Blue rubber bleb nevus
Eccrine spiradenoma
Neurilemmoma/ Neuroma
Glomus tumor
Angiolipoma/ Angioleiomyoma/ Angiosarcoma
Leiomyoma
Cutaneous endometriosis/ Calcinosis cutis
Osteoma cutis

7. Raynaud's phenomenon: causes
COLD HAND:
Cryoglobulins/ Cryofibrinogens
Obstruction/ Occupational
Lupus erythematosus, other connective tissue disease
Diabetes mellitus/ Drugs
Hematologic problems (polycythemia, leukemia, etc)
Arterial problems (atherosclerosis)
Neurologic problems (vascular tone)
Disease of unknown origin (idiopathic)
Causes of Cramps
Causes of Cramps are "CRAMP"-
Calcium level low, Respiratory Alkalosis, Metabolic acidosis, Magnesium level
low, Porphyria
CTEV - Order of correction in conservative treatment
CTEV treated conservatively should be corrected in the following order, else
the complication is Rocker bottom foot.
The order of correction: ( Remember All India Exam - AIE)
First correct - Adduction
Secondly correct - Inversion
Thirdly correct - Equinus