Family Nurse Practitioner Exam

A positive McMurray's sign on examination indicates which type of injury?

1. Meniscal injury

2. Inflammation of the knee joint

3. Osteophytes of the knee joint

4. Tenosynovitis

The correct answer is: Meniscal injury

A positive McMurray's sign is specifically utilized during a physical examination to assess for meniscal injuries in the knee. This maneuver is performed by flexing and rotating the knee joint while applying a valgus or varus stress, then extending the knee, with the presence of a click or pain indicating potential damage to the meniscus. Meniscal injuries typically occur due to trauma or degenerative changes, and the McMurray's test is particularly effective in detecting these types of injuries. It is important for practitioners to identify these conditions accurately as they often require specific treatment approaches, which can include conservative management or surgical intervention depending on the severity of the injury. Other choices, while related to knee pathologies, do not directly correlate with a positive McMurray's sign. Inflammation of the knee joint might be assessed through different diagnostic tools and indicators, osteophytes would typically be evaluated through imaging, and tenosynovitis involves the inflammation of the tendon sheaths rather than a specific test for meniscal injury. Thus, the McMurray's sign is significant and specific for meniscal injuries, making this choice the most appropriate.