Injuries: torture, falanga: practice question

A Forensic Medicine question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Forensic Medicine · Injuries: torture, falanga

Sample item

A man released from custody walks with pain on the soles, which are swollen and tender with intact skin. He says he was beaten on the feet with a rod while restrained. Which form of torture does this describe?

AFalanga, beating of the solesBTelephono, slapping both ears at onceCDry submarino, suffocation with a plastic bagDPalestinian hanging, suspension by the arms

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Falanga, beating of the soles

Falanga (falaka) is repeated beating of the soles. Skin may be intact, but deep tissue swelling, plantar fibrosis, compartment syndrome and painful gait result. Telephono causes ear injury, dry submarino causes asphyxia and suspension causes brachial plexus injury.

Option by option

A. Falanga, beating of the soles (correct)
Correct. Deep soft-tissue injury of the soles with little skin damage is characteristic of falanga.
B. Telephono, slapping both ears at once
Telephono produces perforation of the tympanic membranes and hearing loss, not foot injury.
C. Dry submarino, suffocation with a plastic bag
Dry submarino causes asphyxial signs such as petechiae, not plantar swelling.
D. Palestinian hanging, suspension by the arms
Suspension causes brachial plexus palsy and shoulder injury, not foot pain.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is A, Falanga, beating of the soles. Falanga (falaka) is repeated beating of the soles.

Why is "Telephono, slapping both ears at once" not the answer?

Telephono produces perforation of the tympanic membranes and hearing loss, not foot injury.

Why is "Dry submarino, suffocation with a plastic bag" not the answer?

Dry submarino causes asphyxial signs such as petechiae, not plantar swelling.

Why is "Palestinian hanging, suspension by the arms" not the answer?

Suspension causes brachial plexus palsy and shoulder injury, not foot pain.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Injuries: torture, falanga in Forensic Medicine. Skin may be intact, but deep tissue swelling, plantar fibrosis, compartment syndrome and painful gait result. Telephono causes ear injury, dry submarino causes asphyxia and suspension causes brachial plexus injury.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Injuries: torture, falanga?

Learn postmortem changes with their timelines, and toxicology as poison, sign, test and antidote. Then use the flashcards and the other Forensic Medicine questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.