An open musculoskeletal injury can be described as a/an:

• A. Injury where a bone tears through the skin
• B. Injury with skin intact and no bone protrusion
• C. Injury with skin torn but bone not exposed
• D. Injury with only soft tissue damage

Answer: (A)

An open musculoskeletal injury is one where the skin is broken and deeper structures, such as bone, may be exposed. Describing a bone tearing through the skin captures the exact situation: bone is protruding or exposed to the outside environment, which defines an open fracture. The other descriptions describe injuries with intact skin (closed) or skin torn without bone exposure (an open soft-tissue injury but not necessarily involving bone), or injuries limited to soft tissue with no bone involvement. In the field, open injuries require protecting the wound from contamination, immobilizing the limb, and avoiding pushing any protruding bone back, while seeking rapid transport.