Direct Care Workers (DCW) Aging and Physical Disabilities Practice Test

Contractures occur when the soft tissues around a joint—such as muscles, tendons, and related structures—shorten and stiffen, which limits movement and can cause joint deformity and rigidity. This directly matches the description of shortening and hardening of muscles, tendons, or other tissues, leading to joint deformity and stiffness. An acute skin infection is about infection of the skin, not tissue shortening. A temporary swelling of joints reflects edema or inflammation, not permanent shortening. A nerve injury involves damage to nerves, not the tissues surrounding a joint becoming shortened. In practice, preventing contractures involves keeping joints moving, maintaining good positioning, and using splints or therapy as needed to preserve range of motion.