North Carolina EMT State Practice Exam

What does a rotated laterally left foot most likely indicate in a 71-year-old female who has fallen?

1. Ankle sprain

2. Femur fracture

3. Hip dislocation

4. Knee injury

The correct answer is: Femur fracture

A laterally rotated left foot in a 71-year-old female who has fallen most likely indicates a femur fracture, particularly a fracture of the neck of the femur. In elderly patients, especially those with osteoporosis or other degenerative conditions, falls are a common mechanism leading to hip and femur injuries. A femur fracture can result in the leg appearing shorter and rotated externally, as the affected limb will often be unable to maintain its normal alignment due to the muscle pull around the hip joint. In this context, the mechanism of injury—a fall—combined with the age of the patient makes a femur fracture more likely. External rotation of the foot is a classic sign often associated with this type of injury. Other injuries, while possible, would typically present with different signs or symptoms. For example, while an ankle sprain could occur in an acute injury from a fall, it wouldn’t likely result in significant rotation of the foot itself. Similarly, a hip dislocation could also cause external rotation, but it is less typical than a fracture in this age group and context. A knee injury might cause pain and swelling, but again, it would not specifically result in the foot being laterally rotated like a femur fracture would. Therefore, the