Orthotic Fitter Exam 2025: Study Guide,
Practice Questions & Certification
Requirements
What muscles make up the hamstrings - answers semimembranosus, semitendinosis,
bicep femoris
Chondromalasis patella may be caused by - answers over pronated foot, weak vastus
medialis obliquis, weak gluestus medius
What is Bursistis - answers Inflammation of the bursa, causing swelling and pain
What are bursa - answers fluid filled sacs between tissues
What is eccentric - answers controlled movement in which you move toward an
opposing force, rather than away. Lengthening of the muscle
Example of eccentric muscle contraction - answers lowering a weight, walking down
stairs
What is apropulsive gait - answers foot drop, partial foot amputation or soft tissue
dysfunction
Proprioception rehabilitation can on occur - answers during controlled motion when
weight bearing
Normally____, when torn loose by a sudden ____, seldom break in the middle rather,
they _____ away from the _____ at the _____ - answers Normally tendons, when torn
loose by a sudden force, seldom break in the middle rather, they pull away from the
bone at the end
What is antalgic gait - answers a gait in which the stance phase is shorter than the
swing phase. It is a good indicator of weight bearing pain
What is Ataxic gait - answers an unsteady, uncoordinated walk with a wide base and
the feet thrown out, coming down first on the heel and then the toes with a double tap
What is the popliteal fossa - answers cavity posterior to the knee
What is the function of the skeletal system - answers to provide a flexible foundation
and manufacture red blood cells
What is a shoulder joint - answers ball and socket joint, muscle dominated joint and can
move in all planes
,Joint stability requires - answers adequate strength, appropriate ROM and adequate
proprioception
What is a closed kinetic chain - answers a series of connected joints in which the distal
segment is in fixed, weight bearing position.
Orthotics can aid in - answers eccentric muscle activity, reactive muscle activity and
concentric muscle activity
What is concentric - answers muscle activation (contraction) that causes tension on
your muscle as it shortens, generating enough force to move an object
Example of concentric muscle contraction - answers Bicep curl
What is double-step gait - answers a gait in which there is a noticeable difference in
length/timing of alternate steps
What are sacomeres - answers overlapping work units within muscle structures
How can the posterior cruciate ligament can be injured - answers excessive ankle
dorsiflexion and a so called dash-board injury.
What is Chondromalasis of the patella - answers roughening of the articulating surface
of the patella
What is an articulation - answers forms a joint
What is a collateral ligament - answers any ligament running along the medial/lateral
sides of a joint
The foot/ankle complex serves what 3 purposes - answers flexible adaptor to the
terrain, flexible stabilizer during ROM and a rigid lever arm to propel off the terrain
What is pronation - answers motion in 3 joints at the same time in 1 plane
What is Drag-to gait - answers gait in which feet are dragged rather than lifted toward
the crutches
What is Haglands deformity - answers a bone protuberance at the back of the heel that
can be inflamed and cause pain. Usually occurs with high arched feet or high heeled
shoes. AKA - Pump-bump
Functional Orthotic - answers semi-rigid balancing device designed to slip inside the
shoe and control abnormal motion of the foot/ Device is made by taking a mold while it
is held in the correct position
,What is proprioception - answers Awareness of the position of the body and its parts
How much frontal plane ROM does the calcaneus have - answers 20 degees
What is the calcaneus also know as - answers Heel bone
What is a joint - answers connective tissue between bones
What is the Acromio-Clavicular joint - answers A-C joint in the shoulder
What is the Gluteus Medius - answers a hip external rotator, a hip abductor and it
decelerates the hip internal rotation
What are the 4 muscles in the rotator cuff - answers supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres
minor, subscapularis
What is Trendelenburg gait - answers a gait in which the pelvis sags on opposite side of
nerve damage to gluteus medius causing pelvic instability
What does a solid AFO inhibit - answers all ankle motion
What does a hinged AFO allow - answers Dorsi/plantarflexion but NOT
inversion/eversion
What does a leaf spring AFO allow - answers plantarflexion but NOT dorsiflexion
During which phase of gait cycle does an AFO with dorsiflexion assisnt in - answers
swing phase
What is velocity - answers The distance walked in a certain amount of time
What is another name for heel off - answers terminal stance
What is extension - answers straightening the movement that INCREASES the angle
between body parts.
What is an example of extension - answers when standing up the knees are extended
What is Abduction - answers movement away from the midline of the body
example of abduction - answers raising the arms, laterally to the sides
What is adduction - answers movement toward the midline of the body
, Example of adduction - answers arms straight out at the shoulders, bringing them down
to the sides
What is Pronation - answers leaning inward/down
Example of pronation - answers when your palm/forearm faces down
What is supination - answers leaning outward/up
What is dorsiflexion - answers flexing the foot and toes upward
what is plantarflexion - answers movement of the foot downward, away from body
example of plantar flexion - answers pressing the gas pedal down
example of dorsiflextion - answers moving foot towards chin
what is a joint - answers articulation, is a point of contact between bones or between
bone and cartilage
synovial joint - answers most common type of articulation and have a small gap
between the bones
cartilaginous joint - answers formed where bone meets cartilage, have gel like
consistency
what are the 4 major type of synovial joints - answers hinge, gliding, saddle and ball and
socket
hinge joint - answers enable movement similar to opening and closing of a hinged door,
in the knee and elbow
gliding joint - answers occurs between the surfaces of two flat bones, move by gliding
against each other, in wrist and ankles
saddle joint - answers rock back and forth and from side to side, only saddle joint are in
the thumbs
ball and socket joint - answers most mobile type of joint in the human body, allows you
to swing arms/legs in many directions, in hip and shoulder
medial collateral ligament - answers MCL, on the medial side of the knee joint, limits the
amount the knee moves from side to side
lateral collateral ligament - answers LCL, on the lateral side of the knee joint, limits the
amount the knee moves from side to side
Practice Questions & Certification
Requirements
What muscles make up the hamstrings - answers semimembranosus, semitendinosis,
bicep femoris
Chondromalasis patella may be caused by - answers over pronated foot, weak vastus
medialis obliquis, weak gluestus medius
What is Bursistis - answers Inflammation of the bursa, causing swelling and pain
What are bursa - answers fluid filled sacs between tissues
What is eccentric - answers controlled movement in which you move toward an
opposing force, rather than away. Lengthening of the muscle
Example of eccentric muscle contraction - answers lowering a weight, walking down
stairs
What is apropulsive gait - answers foot drop, partial foot amputation or soft tissue
dysfunction
Proprioception rehabilitation can on occur - answers during controlled motion when
weight bearing
Normally____, when torn loose by a sudden ____, seldom break in the middle rather,
they _____ away from the _____ at the _____ - answers Normally tendons, when torn
loose by a sudden force, seldom break in the middle rather, they pull away from the
bone at the end
What is antalgic gait - answers a gait in which the stance phase is shorter than the
swing phase. It is a good indicator of weight bearing pain
What is Ataxic gait - answers an unsteady, uncoordinated walk with a wide base and
the feet thrown out, coming down first on the heel and then the toes with a double tap
What is the popliteal fossa - answers cavity posterior to the knee
What is the function of the skeletal system - answers to provide a flexible foundation
and manufacture red blood cells
What is a shoulder joint - answers ball and socket joint, muscle dominated joint and can
move in all planes
,Joint stability requires - answers adequate strength, appropriate ROM and adequate
proprioception
What is a closed kinetic chain - answers a series of connected joints in which the distal
segment is in fixed, weight bearing position.
Orthotics can aid in - answers eccentric muscle activity, reactive muscle activity and
concentric muscle activity
What is concentric - answers muscle activation (contraction) that causes tension on
your muscle as it shortens, generating enough force to move an object
Example of concentric muscle contraction - answers Bicep curl
What is double-step gait - answers a gait in which there is a noticeable difference in
length/timing of alternate steps
What are sacomeres - answers overlapping work units within muscle structures
How can the posterior cruciate ligament can be injured - answers excessive ankle
dorsiflexion and a so called dash-board injury.
What is Chondromalasis of the patella - answers roughening of the articulating surface
of the patella
What is an articulation - answers forms a joint
What is a collateral ligament - answers any ligament running along the medial/lateral
sides of a joint
The foot/ankle complex serves what 3 purposes - answers flexible adaptor to the
terrain, flexible stabilizer during ROM and a rigid lever arm to propel off the terrain
What is pronation - answers motion in 3 joints at the same time in 1 plane
What is Drag-to gait - answers gait in which feet are dragged rather than lifted toward
the crutches
What is Haglands deformity - answers a bone protuberance at the back of the heel that
can be inflamed and cause pain. Usually occurs with high arched feet or high heeled
shoes. AKA - Pump-bump
Functional Orthotic - answers semi-rigid balancing device designed to slip inside the
shoe and control abnormal motion of the foot/ Device is made by taking a mold while it
is held in the correct position
,What is proprioception - answers Awareness of the position of the body and its parts
How much frontal plane ROM does the calcaneus have - answers 20 degees
What is the calcaneus also know as - answers Heel bone
What is a joint - answers connective tissue between bones
What is the Acromio-Clavicular joint - answers A-C joint in the shoulder
What is the Gluteus Medius - answers a hip external rotator, a hip abductor and it
decelerates the hip internal rotation
What are the 4 muscles in the rotator cuff - answers supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres
minor, subscapularis
What is Trendelenburg gait - answers a gait in which the pelvis sags on opposite side of
nerve damage to gluteus medius causing pelvic instability
What does a solid AFO inhibit - answers all ankle motion
What does a hinged AFO allow - answers Dorsi/plantarflexion but NOT
inversion/eversion
What does a leaf spring AFO allow - answers plantarflexion but NOT dorsiflexion
During which phase of gait cycle does an AFO with dorsiflexion assisnt in - answers
swing phase
What is velocity - answers The distance walked in a certain amount of time
What is another name for heel off - answers terminal stance
What is extension - answers straightening the movement that INCREASES the angle
between body parts.
What is an example of extension - answers when standing up the knees are extended
What is Abduction - answers movement away from the midline of the body
example of abduction - answers raising the arms, laterally to the sides
What is adduction - answers movement toward the midline of the body
, Example of adduction - answers arms straight out at the shoulders, bringing them down
to the sides
What is Pronation - answers leaning inward/down
Example of pronation - answers when your palm/forearm faces down
What is supination - answers leaning outward/up
What is dorsiflexion - answers flexing the foot and toes upward
what is plantarflexion - answers movement of the foot downward, away from body
example of plantar flexion - answers pressing the gas pedal down
example of dorsiflextion - answers moving foot towards chin
what is a joint - answers articulation, is a point of contact between bones or between
bone and cartilage
synovial joint - answers most common type of articulation and have a small gap
between the bones
cartilaginous joint - answers formed where bone meets cartilage, have gel like
consistency
what are the 4 major type of synovial joints - answers hinge, gliding, saddle and ball and
socket
hinge joint - answers enable movement similar to opening and closing of a hinged door,
in the knee and elbow
gliding joint - answers occurs between the surfaces of two flat bones, move by gliding
against each other, in wrist and ankles
saddle joint - answers rock back and forth and from side to side, only saddle joint are in
the thumbs
ball and socket joint - answers most mobile type of joint in the human body, allows you
to swing arms/legs in many directions, in hip and shoulder
medial collateral ligament - answers MCL, on the medial side of the knee joint, limits the
amount the knee moves from side to side
lateral collateral ligament - answers LCL, on the lateral side of the knee joint, limits the
amount the knee moves from side to side
