Question

In a subcapital fracture of the neck of femur, the position of the limb is

• A. Abduction
• B. External rotation
• C. Flexion and internal rotation
• D. Adduction

Hint:

Think about which hip muscles keep pulling once the femoral neck is no longer intact.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Question:
This question asks about the typical clinical position the lower limb is found in when a patient has a subcapital (femoral neck) fracture, a common injury in elderly patients, often after a fall.

Step 2: Key Concept or Approach:
When the femoral neck fractures, the pull of the short external rotator muscles of the hip (piriformis, obturators, gemelli) is no longer opposed by the now-unstable femoral head and neck fragment, and the weight of the leg itself also tends to fall into external rotation.

Step 3: Working Through the Options:
Abduction and adduction are not the classic resting position - the limb does not swing sideways in a typical femoral neck fracture. Flexion and internal rotation is instead the classic position of a posterior hip dislocation, not a femoral neck fracture. In a subcapital fracture, the unopposed pull of the short external rotators combined with the weight of the leg turns the limb outward, so the leg is found externally rotated, along with shortening.

Step 4: Conclusion:
The limb lies in external rotation.