A 73-year-old woman is brought to the emergency department due to right hip pain. The patient was getting out of the shower when she slipped and fell directly on her right hip. She now has pain and swelling over the lateral aspect of her hip and cannot walk without assistance. Vital signs are within normal limits. Bilateral pedal pulses are normal, and sensation is intact. X-ray of the right hip is shown below : Examination of this patient will most likely show impaired function of which of the following muscles?

Question

A 73-year-old woman is brought to the emergency department due to right hip pain.  The patient was getting out of the shower when she slipped and fell directly on her right hip.  She now has pain and swelling over the lateral aspect of her hip and cannot walk without assistance.  Vital signs are within normal limits.  Bilateral pedal pulses are normal, and sensation is intact.  X-ray of the right hip is shown below :  Examination of this patient will most likely show impaired function of which of the following muscles?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Eductional Objective: The pelvic bones and femoral trochanters serve as attachment points for the hip girdle's vast postural and ambulatory muscles. Fractures involving these attachment sites are frequently produced by high-velocity trauma (eg, motor vehicle crashes, falls from great heights), but they can also occur in individuals with bone fragility from low-level falls (eg, getting out of the shower) (eg, postmenopausal osteoporosis).
The x-ray of this patient shows avulsion of the greater trochanter of the femur. The greater trochanter is the attachment point for the gluteus medius muscle, which originates in the ilium. The gluteus medius' primary functions during ambulation include hip abduction and pelvic stability.

A 73-Year-Old Woman Is Brought to the Emergency Department Due