NPTE practice exam Questions
and Answers/ Verified
A physical therapist is treating a 75-year-old female with osteoporosis. Which of the
following types of exercise would be MOST appropriate?
1) biking
2) bowling
3) squats
4) swimming - -3) squats
-A 63-year-old male patient presents with complaints of burning bilateral leg pain and
cramping. The pain improves with rest and worsens with leg elevation and walking more
than 10 minutes at a time. His symptoms do not change with trunk or pelvis movement.
Which of the following examination findings is the clinician MOST likely to observe
during his physical examination?
1) 2+ dorsal pedal pulse bilaterally
2) ankle-brachial index (ABI) of 0.80
3) ankle-brachial index (ABI) of 1.1
4) positive Homan's sign - -2) ankle-brachial index (ABI) of 0.80
-A physical therapist assistant is treating a patient status post recent traumatic brain
injury (TBI). Upon evaluation, the patient demonstrates hypertonicity. When observing
function, sitting is quite difficult. This patient's plan of care and goals focus on muscle
tone first, then working on stability, and lastly mobility. The clinician is employing
which theory in this case?
1) Brunnstrom's Synergy Patterns
2) Craniosacral Therapy
3) Neurodevelopmental treatment (NDT)
,4) Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) - -3) Neurodevelopmental
treatment (NDT)
-While examining a patient with lymphedema, the clinician places the patient's right
upper extremity into a water tank and measures the displacement. This method BEST
represents which of the following?
1) Bioimpedance measurement
2) Girth measurement
3) Stemmer Sign
4) Volumetric measurement - -4) Volumetric measurement
-A 45-year-old female patient with balance problems was referred to a physical
therapist assistant (PTA) without any experience in vestibular rehabilitation. After the
initial session, the clinician appropriately refers the patient to another PTA who has the
expertise to help the patient. The therapist is adhering to which of the following core
values?
1) Accountability
2) Altruism
3) Integrity
4) Professional Duty - -3) Integrity
-A physical therapist assistant is testing a patient for clonus. What is the MOST
appropriate action to complete this test?
1) Anterior-to-posterior glide of the talocrural joint
2) Posterior-to-anterior glide of the talocrural joint
3) Quick stretch to the dorsiflexors
4) Quick stretch to the plantarflexors - -4) Quick stretch to the plantarflexors
,-According to the Fitts and Posner three stage model involved in learning a new skill,
which of the following stages is MOST likely associated with understanding the nature of
the task, and determining how the task should be evaluated?
1) Associative
2) Autonomous
3) Cognitive
4) Fixation - -3) Cognitive
-A physical therapist assistant (PTA) is treating a patient to increase shoulder range of
motion. During the session, the PTA notices an abnormal enlargement along the
patient's anterior neck. The PTA reports findings to the physical therapist who suspects
Graves' disease after completing a thorough subjective history with the patient. Which of
the following symptoms would the PTA MOST likely observe while they are working
with this patient?
1) Cold intolerance, fatigue
2) Heat intolerance, decreased appetite
3) Weight loss, decreased appetite
4) Weight loss, fatigue - -4) Weight loss, fatigue
-A physical therapist assistant is working in an inpatient rehabilitation unit and is going
to treat a patient who recently suffered a stroke. The patient has known aphasia and
cognitive impairments. Which of the following strategies should the physical therapist
assistant use for communication?
1) Closed-ended questions
2) Leading questions
3) Open-ended questions
4) Reflective statements - -1) Closed-ended questions
-A physical therapist assistant is working with a patient following a recent total hip
replacement. The patient complains of shortness of breath, pleuritic pain, a cough, and
has a resting heart rate of 130 beats per minute. Which of the following conditions is
MOST likely present?
, 1) Aortic Aneurysm
2) Myocarditis
3) Pericarditis
4) Pulmonary Embolism - -4) Pulmonary Embolism
-A physical therapist assistant is performing a palpation integumentary exam during a
patient's initial evaluation. Pitting of the skin is observed following fingertip pressure to
the left lower extremity, and returns to normal in 15 seconds. What numerical grade is
most accurate for this pitting?
1) 0
2) 1+
3) 2+
4) 3+ - -3) 2+
-A patient presents to an inpatient rehabilitation facility with a recent history of a
cerebral vascular accident. Upon evaluation, a right elbow flexion contracture is
discovered. The impaired mobility seems to be a result of hypertonicity/ spasticity.
Following inhibition procedures, full passive elbow extension is possible. What type of
contracture is the patient experiencing?
1) Fibrotic
2) Myostatic
3) Periarticular
4) Pseudomyostatic - -4) Pseudomyostatic
-A clinician is administering an ice pack to treat spasticity. To achieve optimal results
safely, the BEST option is:
1) Leave the cold pack in place for up to 10 minutes, checking for any indication of
adverse effects after 5-8 minutes.
2) Leave the cold pack in place for up to 15 minutes, checking for any indication of
adverse effects after 8 -10 minutes.
3) Leave the cold pack in place for up to 20 minutes, checking for any indication of
adverse effects after 10-15 minutes.
and Answers/ Verified
A physical therapist is treating a 75-year-old female with osteoporosis. Which of the
following types of exercise would be MOST appropriate?
1) biking
2) bowling
3) squats
4) swimming - -3) squats
-A 63-year-old male patient presents with complaints of burning bilateral leg pain and
cramping. The pain improves with rest and worsens with leg elevation and walking more
than 10 minutes at a time. His symptoms do not change with trunk or pelvis movement.
Which of the following examination findings is the clinician MOST likely to observe
during his physical examination?
1) 2+ dorsal pedal pulse bilaterally
2) ankle-brachial index (ABI) of 0.80
3) ankle-brachial index (ABI) of 1.1
4) positive Homan's sign - -2) ankle-brachial index (ABI) of 0.80
-A physical therapist assistant is treating a patient status post recent traumatic brain
injury (TBI). Upon evaluation, the patient demonstrates hypertonicity. When observing
function, sitting is quite difficult. This patient's plan of care and goals focus on muscle
tone first, then working on stability, and lastly mobility. The clinician is employing
which theory in this case?
1) Brunnstrom's Synergy Patterns
2) Craniosacral Therapy
3) Neurodevelopmental treatment (NDT)
,4) Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) - -3) Neurodevelopmental
treatment (NDT)
-While examining a patient with lymphedema, the clinician places the patient's right
upper extremity into a water tank and measures the displacement. This method BEST
represents which of the following?
1) Bioimpedance measurement
2) Girth measurement
3) Stemmer Sign
4) Volumetric measurement - -4) Volumetric measurement
-A 45-year-old female patient with balance problems was referred to a physical
therapist assistant (PTA) without any experience in vestibular rehabilitation. After the
initial session, the clinician appropriately refers the patient to another PTA who has the
expertise to help the patient. The therapist is adhering to which of the following core
values?
1) Accountability
2) Altruism
3) Integrity
4) Professional Duty - -3) Integrity
-A physical therapist assistant is testing a patient for clonus. What is the MOST
appropriate action to complete this test?
1) Anterior-to-posterior glide of the talocrural joint
2) Posterior-to-anterior glide of the talocrural joint
3) Quick stretch to the dorsiflexors
4) Quick stretch to the plantarflexors - -4) Quick stretch to the plantarflexors
,-According to the Fitts and Posner three stage model involved in learning a new skill,
which of the following stages is MOST likely associated with understanding the nature of
the task, and determining how the task should be evaluated?
1) Associative
2) Autonomous
3) Cognitive
4) Fixation - -3) Cognitive
-A physical therapist assistant (PTA) is treating a patient to increase shoulder range of
motion. During the session, the PTA notices an abnormal enlargement along the
patient's anterior neck. The PTA reports findings to the physical therapist who suspects
Graves' disease after completing a thorough subjective history with the patient. Which of
the following symptoms would the PTA MOST likely observe while they are working
with this patient?
1) Cold intolerance, fatigue
2) Heat intolerance, decreased appetite
3) Weight loss, decreased appetite
4) Weight loss, fatigue - -4) Weight loss, fatigue
-A physical therapist assistant is working in an inpatient rehabilitation unit and is going
to treat a patient who recently suffered a stroke. The patient has known aphasia and
cognitive impairments. Which of the following strategies should the physical therapist
assistant use for communication?
1) Closed-ended questions
2) Leading questions
3) Open-ended questions
4) Reflective statements - -1) Closed-ended questions
-A physical therapist assistant is working with a patient following a recent total hip
replacement. The patient complains of shortness of breath, pleuritic pain, a cough, and
has a resting heart rate of 130 beats per minute. Which of the following conditions is
MOST likely present?
, 1) Aortic Aneurysm
2) Myocarditis
3) Pericarditis
4) Pulmonary Embolism - -4) Pulmonary Embolism
-A physical therapist assistant is performing a palpation integumentary exam during a
patient's initial evaluation. Pitting of the skin is observed following fingertip pressure to
the left lower extremity, and returns to normal in 15 seconds. What numerical grade is
most accurate for this pitting?
1) 0
2) 1+
3) 2+
4) 3+ - -3) 2+
-A patient presents to an inpatient rehabilitation facility with a recent history of a
cerebral vascular accident. Upon evaluation, a right elbow flexion contracture is
discovered. The impaired mobility seems to be a result of hypertonicity/ spasticity.
Following inhibition procedures, full passive elbow extension is possible. What type of
contracture is the patient experiencing?
1) Fibrotic
2) Myostatic
3) Periarticular
4) Pseudomyostatic - -4) Pseudomyostatic
-A clinician is administering an ice pack to treat spasticity. To achieve optimal results
safely, the BEST option is:
1) Leave the cold pack in place for up to 10 minutes, checking for any indication of
adverse effects after 5-8 minutes.
2) Leave the cold pack in place for up to 15 minutes, checking for any indication of
adverse effects after 8 -10 minutes.
3) Leave the cold pack in place for up to 20 minutes, checking for any indication of
adverse effects after 10-15 minutes.
