A daily clinical-reasoning habit

One case a day.
Reason it out before
you rule it out.

A daily diagnostic case for physiotherapists and students. Read the presentation, work the differential, name it in three guesses — then see the reasoning laid bare. Built for the exam, built for the clinic.

Free · a new case every day · no account needed to play.

Sample case · Vestibular / NeuroExpert
Presentation

64-year-old hypertensive smoker. Sudden constant vertigo six hours ago, still ongoing. Mild occipital headache, off-balance even sitting still. Nearly fell walking to the bathroom.

Guesses
Type your diagnosis…
Guess

A taste of the format · play today's case →

How it works

The format mirrors how you actually assess.

Information arrives the way it does in clinic — history first, then what makes it better or worse, then the objective findings. Each wrong guess unlocks the next layer. You're not memorising trivia; you're rehearsing the sequence of reasoning.

01

Read the presentation

Age, history, behaviour of symptoms — a real patient picture, not a riddle.

02

Guess, get a clue

Three attempts. Miss, and the next layer reveals — aggravating factors, then a key objective finding.

03

See the reasoning

Win or lose, every case ends with why it's the answer and the differentials you should have weighed.

Why it matters

The most dangerous case is the one that looks routine.

Physios are often first contact and the last check before a patient is sent home. Most presentations are exactly what they seem. A few are not — and those are the ones worth drilling until recognition is reflex.

Some of these cases aren't yours to treat. Knowing which ones, and acting on it, is the skill that protects patients — so we teach it on purpose.

Roughly one case in seven carries a red flag — a fracture hiding as a strain, a stroke masquerading as dizziness, a cancer presenting as back pain. You won't know which day. That's the point.

What you get

Built for clinicians, not for clicks.

A

Cases written and vetted by a physiotherapist

Every case authored and clinically reviewed by a licensed physio. The answer is defensible; the explanation teaches the differential.

B

Reasoning order, not trivia order

Hints unfold history → aggravating factors → objective findings, so you absorb the assessment sequence, not just the label.

C

Spans MSK, neuro and cardiorespiratory

From frozen shoulder to the vertigo that's a cerebellar stroke — the full breadth a physio is expected to recognise.

D

A streak worth keeping

One case a day builds the habit. Track your solve rate and streak — no sign-up required to start.

The model

Free. One case a day.

One new case every day, free, for everyone — full presentation, the clues, and the complete clinical reasoning at the end. No account, no paywall, no catch. Just open it and play.

Now live

Today's case is waiting.

A new case every day — free, no sign-up. Play today's, then follow along so you never miss one.

Play today's case →

or follow @differentia.ca