American Board of Surgical Assistants (ABSA) Orthopedic Practice Test

The statement that the extremity usually appears shortened and falls into internal rotation is indeed a true characteristic of hip fractures, particularly in cases of femoral neck fractures. In these injuries, the affected leg commonly presents as shortened and rotated internally due to the muscle pull from the surrounding hip structures and the nature of the fracture itself. In contrast, the other statements include important aspects of the clinical presentation and diagnostic evaluation of hip fractures. For example, while pain typically manifests in the groin or above the knee, confirming the diagnosis usually does require X-rays in two planes to provide a thorough evaluation of the fracture type and any associated displacement. Additionally, patients with impacted femoral neck fractures may indeed be able to walk without assistance, which can sometimes lead to underestimating the severity of their injury. Understanding these nuances is crucial in the assessment and management of patients with hip fractures.