NPTE: PRACTICE EXAM 1
QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS UPDATED 2026
AAphysicalAtherapistAexaminesAaAthree-year-
oldApatientAdiagnosedAwithAaAgeneticAconditionAwhichAaffectsAcollagenAsynthesis.ATheApatien
tAbruisesAeasilyAandAhasAaAlifelongAhistoryAofApathologicalAfractures.AWhatAisAtheApatient's
AMOSTAlikelyAdiagnosis?
1.Osteomalacia
2.Osteopetrosis
3.PediatricAosteoporosis
4.OsteogenesisAimperfectaA-AAnswerA4.OsteogenesisAimperfecta
PathologicalAfracturesAassociatedAwithAmilderApresentationsAofAosteogenesisAimperfectaA(OI)A
mayAraiseAsuspicionsAofAchildAabuseAbeforeAaAformalAdiagnosisAisAmade.AMoreAsevereAfor
msAofAOIAareAtypicallyAdiagnosedAearlyAinAtheAchild'sAlifeAwithAfracturesAsustainedAeitherAi
nAuteroAorAduringAbirth.
MilderApresentationsAofAOIA(typesAIAandAIV)AareAinheritedAasAautosomalAdominantAtraitsAw
hileAmoreAsevereAformsA(typesAIIAandAIII)AareAinheritedAasAautosomalArecessiveAtraits.AThe
AconditionAisAcharacterizedAbyAboneAfragilityAthatAisAlinkedAtoAanAabnormalityAinAtheAsynt
hesisAofAtypeAIAcollagen.
AApatientAdiagnosedAwithArheumatoidAarthritisAisAreferredAtoAphysicalAtherapy.ATheAphysica
lAtherapistAobservesAbilateralAthumbAdeformitiesAcharacterizedAbyAmetacarpophalangealAjoint
AflexionAwithAinterphalangealAhyperextension.AWhichAdeformityAisAMOSTAconsistentAwithAthe
AdescribedApresentation?
1.Boutonniere
2.SwanAneck
3.MalletAfinger
4.DupuytrenA-AAnswerABoutonniere
boutonniereAdeformityAmayAoccurAinAtheAfingersAorAthumbAasAaAresultAofAtraumaAorAprogr
essiveAarthriticAchanges.AInApatientsAdiagnosedAwithArheumatoidAarthritis,AboutonniereAdefor
mityAisAtheAmostAcommonlyAoccurringAthumbAdeformity.
1.InAtheAthumb,AchronicAsynovitisAeventuallyAforcesAtheAmetacarpophalangealA(MCP)AjointAin
toAaAflexedAposition.ATheAassociatedApalmarAdisplacementAcausesAtensionAonAtheAextensorA
mechanismAofAtheAinterphalangealA(IP)AjointAresultingAinAhyperextension.AInAtheAfingers,Ath
,isAdeformityApresentsAwithAflexionAinAtheAproximalAinterphalangealA(PIP)AjointAandAextensi
onAofAtheAdistalAinterphalangealA(DIP)Ajoint.
AAphysicalAtherapistAworksAwithAaApatientArecoveringAfromAsurgeryAonAgaitAactivitiesAonAa
AlevelAsurface.AWhichAvalueArepresentsAtheAMAXIMUMAamountAofAkneeAflexionArequiredAto
AcompleteAtheAdescribedAactivity?
1.0-90Adegrees
2.0-60Adegrees
3.0-30Adegrees
4.0-20AdegreesA-AAnswerA2.0-60Adegrees
TheAgaitAcycleAisAcomprisedAofAaAstanceAphaseAandAswingAphase.AEachAphaseAhasAanticipat
edAmotionAthatAisAexpectedAthroughoutAtheAcycleAforAeachAjoint.AStanceAphaseAaccountsAfor
A60ApercentAofAtheAgaitAcycleAandAswingAphaseAaccountsAforA40Apercent.AManyAfunctionalA
activitiesA(e.g.,AstairAclimbing)AmayArequireAmoreAthanA60AdegreesAofAkneeAflexion.
AApatientArequiresA0-
60AdegreesAofAkneeAflexionAwithAgaitAonAaAlevelAsurface.ATheAgreatestAamountAofAkneeAfle
xionAisArequiredAfromAtheAinitialAswingAtoAmidswing.
AA28-year-
oldAfemaleAwithAlowAbackApainAisAreferredAtoAphysicalAtherapy.ATheApatientAindicatesAthat
AherApainAstartedAtheApreviousAweekendAafterApaintingAaAceilingAandAcurrentlyAisAlocalized
AonAtheAleftAsideAofAherAlowAback.ATheApatientAstatesAtheApainAisAbetterAwhenAsittingAinA
aA"slouched"ApostureAandAisAworseAduringAperiodsAofAprolongedAstanding.AAnAexamination
ArevealsAaApositiveAquadrantAtestAandApositiveAKemp'sAtestAonAtheAleft.ABasedAonAtheApre
sentedAinformation,AwhichAstructuresAareAMOSTAlikelyAinvolved?
1.RightAthoracicAfacets
2.LeftAthoracicAfacets
3.LeftAlumbarAfacets
4.RightAlumbarAfacetsA-AAnswerALeftAlumbarAfacets
TheAfacetAjointsAareAlikelyAtoAbeAstressedAinApositionsAofAspinalAextension,AespeciallyAwhen
AcombinedAwithAaArotationAand/orAlateralAflexionAcomponentA(e.g.,ApositionAusedAwhenApai
ntingAoverhead).AFlexionA(i.e.,AslouchedAposture)AwillArelieveAtheApainAsinceApressureAisAtak
enAoffAofAtheAfacetAjoints.ATheAquadrantAtestAandAKemp'sAtestAareAtestsAwhichAareAusedAto
AindicateApathologyAofAtheAfacetAjoints.
,DuringAtheAquadrantAtestAorAKemp'sAtest,AtheApatientAextendsAandAlaterallyAflexesAorArotat
esAtoAtheAsideAofApain.AThisAcausesAmaximalAnarrowingAofAtheAintervertebralAforamenAand
AstressAonAtheAfacetAjoint.ASinceAtheApatientAhadAaApositiveAtestAwhenAmovingAtoAtheAleft,
AtheAleftAlumbarAfacetAjointsAareAlikelyAtheAsourceAofAtheApain.
AApatientAexperiencesAleftAlowerAextremityAsciaticaAsecondaryAtoAposteriorAderangementAofA
theAL5Adisk.ATheApatientAtoleratedAaAproneAonAelbowsApositionAwithoutAanAincreaseAinAsy
mptoms,Ahowever,AafterAperformingAtheAexerciseAshownAinAtheAvideoAtheApatientAreportsAin
creasedAradicularApainAinAtheAleftAlowerAextremity.AWhatAwouldAbeAtheAphysicalAtherapist's
AMOSTAappropriateAresponse?
1.InstructAtheApatientAtoAassumeAaAproneAposition
2.InstructAtheApatientAtoAassumeAaAproneAonAelbowsAposition
3.InstructAtheApatientAtoAassumeAaAstandingAextensionAposition
4.DiscontinueAtheAextensionAprogressionA-
AAnswerA2.InstructAtheApatientAtoAassumeAaAproneAonAelbowsAposition
CentralizedApainAisAoftenAconsideredAtoAbeAaApositiveAoutcomeAduringAanAextensionAprogres
sion.APatientsAmayAexperienceAdiscomfortAduringApositioning,Ahowever,AanAincreaseAinAradi
atingAsymptomsAwarrantsAreassessmentAofAtheAappropriatenessAofAtheAintervention.
TheAproneApress-upApositionAmayAhaveAbeenAinitiatedAprematurely.AReturningAtoAtheAnon-
exacerbatingAproneAonAelbowsApositionAshouldAassistAtheAtherapistAtoAdetermineAhowAtoAbe
stAproceedAwithAtheApatient'sAcareA(e.g.,AmoreAtimeAaccommodatingAtoAproneAonAelbowsApo
sitionAorAdiscontinuingAtheAextensionAprogression).
AnAindividualAwithAdecliningAhealthAdueAtoAunhealthyAlifestyleAchoicesAplansAtoAengageAinA
anAindependentAexerciseAprogramAdesignedAtoAimproveAtheirAcardiovascularAhealth.AWhichAf
ormAofAself-
monitoringAwouldAbeAtheAMOSTAappropriateAforAtheAindividualAtoAutilizeAwhenAexercising?
1.MetabolicAequivalents
2.SystolicAbloodApressure
3.RateAofAperceivedAexertion
4.RespirationArateA-
AAnswerAThereAareAaAvarietyAofAsubjectiveAandAobjectiveAmethodsAavailableAtoAmonitorAexe
rciseAintensity.ATheAmostAappropriateAmethodAforAaAgivenAclinicalAscenarioAisAinfluencedAby
AaAnumberAofAvariablesAincludingAmeasurementApurpose,AmedicalAstatus,Apatient'sAabilities,
Asetting,AandAequipmentAavailable.
, PatientsAcanAutilizeAaAperceivedAexertionAscale,AsuchAasABorg'sARatingAofAPerceivedAExertio
nA(RPE)AScale,AasAaAsubjectiveAmeansAofAself-
monitoringAduringAexercise.ATheARPEAquantifiesAtheAsubject'sAoverallAsenseAofAeffortAbyAqu
antifyingAtheAamountAofAstrainAorAlevelAofAexertionAtheApatientAisAexperiencingAduringAacti
vity.
AfterApalpatingAseveralAperipheralApulseAsitesAaAphysicalAtherapistAconcludesAthatAaApatient
AhasAaAstrongApulseAatAtheApoplitealAartery,AbutAaAweakApulseAatAtheAdorsalisApedisAarte
ry.AWhichAmedicalAfindingAidentifiedAduringAexerciseAwouldAbeAMOSTAlikelyAbasedAonAtheA
patient'sAcurrentAstatus?
1.Orthopnea
2.DeepAveinAthrombophlebitis
3.IntermittentAclaudication
4.VenousAthrombosisA-AAnswerAIntermittentAclaudication
PalpationAofAperipheralAarteriesAisAusedAtoAassessAperfusionAofAtheAextremitiesAinAaddition
AtoApulseArate.APatientsAwithAdiabetesAorAperipheralAvascularAdiseaseAoftenAhaveAdiminishe
dAbloodAflowAtoAtheAhandsAandAfeetAandAmayAexperienceAintermittentAclaudicationApainAwh
enAtheAcirculationAisAinadequateAtoAmeetAtheAmetabolicAdemandsAofAtheAtissues.
AAstrongApoplitealAarteryApulseAandAweakAdorsalisApedisAarteryApulseAsuggestsAthatAblood
AflowAbetweenAtheseAsitesAisAdiminished,AperhapsAfromAatherosclerosis.AThisApatientAcouldA
beAexpectedAtoAexperienceAintermittentAclaudication,AorApainAinAtheAcalfAmusclesAcausedAby
AischemiaAduringAexercise.
AAspecialAtestAconfirmsAtheApresenceAofAaAsensoryAdisturbanceAaffectingAtheAfourthAandAfift
hAdigitsAofAtheAhand.AWhatAformAofAtestingAwouldAMOSTAlikelyAhaveAbeenAusedAtoAgenera
teAtheApositiveAtest?
1.ResistedAtesting
2.Tapping
3.JointAmobilityAtesting
4.ReflexAtestingA-AAnswerATapping
TestingAusingATinel'sAsignAoccursAwithAtheApatientApositionedAinAsittingAwithAtheAelbowAinA
slightAflexion.ATheAtherapistAtapsAdirectlyAoverAtheAaccessibleAportionAofAtheAulnarAnerveAa
tAtheAelbow.AAApositiveAtestAisAindicatedAbyAaAtinglingAsensationAinAtheAulnarAnerveAdistri
butionAofAtheAforearm,Ahand,AandAfingers.AAApositiveAtestAmayAbeAindicativeAofAulnarAnerv
eAcompressionAorAcompromise.
QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS UPDATED 2026
AAphysicalAtherapistAexaminesAaAthree-year-
oldApatientAdiagnosedAwithAaAgeneticAconditionAwhichAaffectsAcollagenAsynthesis.ATheApatien
tAbruisesAeasilyAandAhasAaAlifelongAhistoryAofApathologicalAfractures.AWhatAisAtheApatient's
AMOSTAlikelyAdiagnosis?
1.Osteomalacia
2.Osteopetrosis
3.PediatricAosteoporosis
4.OsteogenesisAimperfectaA-AAnswerA4.OsteogenesisAimperfecta
PathologicalAfracturesAassociatedAwithAmilderApresentationsAofAosteogenesisAimperfectaA(OI)A
mayAraiseAsuspicionsAofAchildAabuseAbeforeAaAformalAdiagnosisAisAmade.AMoreAsevereAfor
msAofAOIAareAtypicallyAdiagnosedAearlyAinAtheAchild'sAlifeAwithAfracturesAsustainedAeitherAi
nAuteroAorAduringAbirth.
MilderApresentationsAofAOIA(typesAIAandAIV)AareAinheritedAasAautosomalAdominantAtraitsAw
hileAmoreAsevereAformsA(typesAIIAandAIII)AareAinheritedAasAautosomalArecessiveAtraits.AThe
AconditionAisAcharacterizedAbyAboneAfragilityAthatAisAlinkedAtoAanAabnormalityAinAtheAsynt
hesisAofAtypeAIAcollagen.
AApatientAdiagnosedAwithArheumatoidAarthritisAisAreferredAtoAphysicalAtherapy.ATheAphysica
lAtherapistAobservesAbilateralAthumbAdeformitiesAcharacterizedAbyAmetacarpophalangealAjoint
AflexionAwithAinterphalangealAhyperextension.AWhichAdeformityAisAMOSTAconsistentAwithAthe
AdescribedApresentation?
1.Boutonniere
2.SwanAneck
3.MalletAfinger
4.DupuytrenA-AAnswerABoutonniere
boutonniereAdeformityAmayAoccurAinAtheAfingersAorAthumbAasAaAresultAofAtraumaAorAprogr
essiveAarthriticAchanges.AInApatientsAdiagnosedAwithArheumatoidAarthritis,AboutonniereAdefor
mityAisAtheAmostAcommonlyAoccurringAthumbAdeformity.
1.InAtheAthumb,AchronicAsynovitisAeventuallyAforcesAtheAmetacarpophalangealA(MCP)AjointAin
toAaAflexedAposition.ATheAassociatedApalmarAdisplacementAcausesAtensionAonAtheAextensorA
mechanismAofAtheAinterphalangealA(IP)AjointAresultingAinAhyperextension.AInAtheAfingers,Ath
,isAdeformityApresentsAwithAflexionAinAtheAproximalAinterphalangealA(PIP)AjointAandAextensi
onAofAtheAdistalAinterphalangealA(DIP)Ajoint.
AAphysicalAtherapistAworksAwithAaApatientArecoveringAfromAsurgeryAonAgaitAactivitiesAonAa
AlevelAsurface.AWhichAvalueArepresentsAtheAMAXIMUMAamountAofAkneeAflexionArequiredAto
AcompleteAtheAdescribedAactivity?
1.0-90Adegrees
2.0-60Adegrees
3.0-30Adegrees
4.0-20AdegreesA-AAnswerA2.0-60Adegrees
TheAgaitAcycleAisAcomprisedAofAaAstanceAphaseAandAswingAphase.AEachAphaseAhasAanticipat
edAmotionAthatAisAexpectedAthroughoutAtheAcycleAforAeachAjoint.AStanceAphaseAaccountsAfor
A60ApercentAofAtheAgaitAcycleAandAswingAphaseAaccountsAforA40Apercent.AManyAfunctionalA
activitiesA(e.g.,AstairAclimbing)AmayArequireAmoreAthanA60AdegreesAofAkneeAflexion.
AApatientArequiresA0-
60AdegreesAofAkneeAflexionAwithAgaitAonAaAlevelAsurface.ATheAgreatestAamountAofAkneeAfle
xionAisArequiredAfromAtheAinitialAswingAtoAmidswing.
AA28-year-
oldAfemaleAwithAlowAbackApainAisAreferredAtoAphysicalAtherapy.ATheApatientAindicatesAthat
AherApainAstartedAtheApreviousAweekendAafterApaintingAaAceilingAandAcurrentlyAisAlocalized
AonAtheAleftAsideAofAherAlowAback.ATheApatientAstatesAtheApainAisAbetterAwhenAsittingAinA
aA"slouched"ApostureAandAisAworseAduringAperiodsAofAprolongedAstanding.AAnAexamination
ArevealsAaApositiveAquadrantAtestAandApositiveAKemp'sAtestAonAtheAleft.ABasedAonAtheApre
sentedAinformation,AwhichAstructuresAareAMOSTAlikelyAinvolved?
1.RightAthoracicAfacets
2.LeftAthoracicAfacets
3.LeftAlumbarAfacets
4.RightAlumbarAfacetsA-AAnswerALeftAlumbarAfacets
TheAfacetAjointsAareAlikelyAtoAbeAstressedAinApositionsAofAspinalAextension,AespeciallyAwhen
AcombinedAwithAaArotationAand/orAlateralAflexionAcomponentA(e.g.,ApositionAusedAwhenApai
ntingAoverhead).AFlexionA(i.e.,AslouchedAposture)AwillArelieveAtheApainAsinceApressureAisAtak
enAoffAofAtheAfacetAjoints.ATheAquadrantAtestAandAKemp'sAtestAareAtestsAwhichAareAusedAto
AindicateApathologyAofAtheAfacetAjoints.
,DuringAtheAquadrantAtestAorAKemp'sAtest,AtheApatientAextendsAandAlaterallyAflexesAorArotat
esAtoAtheAsideAofApain.AThisAcausesAmaximalAnarrowingAofAtheAintervertebralAforamenAand
AstressAonAtheAfacetAjoint.ASinceAtheApatientAhadAaApositiveAtestAwhenAmovingAtoAtheAleft,
AtheAleftAlumbarAfacetAjointsAareAlikelyAtheAsourceAofAtheApain.
AApatientAexperiencesAleftAlowerAextremityAsciaticaAsecondaryAtoAposteriorAderangementAofA
theAL5Adisk.ATheApatientAtoleratedAaAproneAonAelbowsApositionAwithoutAanAincreaseAinAsy
mptoms,Ahowever,AafterAperformingAtheAexerciseAshownAinAtheAvideoAtheApatientAreportsAin
creasedAradicularApainAinAtheAleftAlowerAextremity.AWhatAwouldAbeAtheAphysicalAtherapist's
AMOSTAappropriateAresponse?
1.InstructAtheApatientAtoAassumeAaAproneAposition
2.InstructAtheApatientAtoAassumeAaAproneAonAelbowsAposition
3.InstructAtheApatientAtoAassumeAaAstandingAextensionAposition
4.DiscontinueAtheAextensionAprogressionA-
AAnswerA2.InstructAtheApatientAtoAassumeAaAproneAonAelbowsAposition
CentralizedApainAisAoftenAconsideredAtoAbeAaApositiveAoutcomeAduringAanAextensionAprogres
sion.APatientsAmayAexperienceAdiscomfortAduringApositioning,Ahowever,AanAincreaseAinAradi
atingAsymptomsAwarrantsAreassessmentAofAtheAappropriatenessAofAtheAintervention.
TheAproneApress-upApositionAmayAhaveAbeenAinitiatedAprematurely.AReturningAtoAtheAnon-
exacerbatingAproneAonAelbowsApositionAshouldAassistAtheAtherapistAtoAdetermineAhowAtoAbe
stAproceedAwithAtheApatient'sAcareA(e.g.,AmoreAtimeAaccommodatingAtoAproneAonAelbowsApo
sitionAorAdiscontinuingAtheAextensionAprogression).
AnAindividualAwithAdecliningAhealthAdueAtoAunhealthyAlifestyleAchoicesAplansAtoAengageAinA
anAindependentAexerciseAprogramAdesignedAtoAimproveAtheirAcardiovascularAhealth.AWhichAf
ormAofAself-
monitoringAwouldAbeAtheAMOSTAappropriateAforAtheAindividualAtoAutilizeAwhenAexercising?
1.MetabolicAequivalents
2.SystolicAbloodApressure
3.RateAofAperceivedAexertion
4.RespirationArateA-
AAnswerAThereAareAaAvarietyAofAsubjectiveAandAobjectiveAmethodsAavailableAtoAmonitorAexe
rciseAintensity.ATheAmostAappropriateAmethodAforAaAgivenAclinicalAscenarioAisAinfluencedAby
AaAnumberAofAvariablesAincludingAmeasurementApurpose,AmedicalAstatus,Apatient'sAabilities,
Asetting,AandAequipmentAavailable.
, PatientsAcanAutilizeAaAperceivedAexertionAscale,AsuchAasABorg'sARatingAofAPerceivedAExertio
nA(RPE)AScale,AasAaAsubjectiveAmeansAofAself-
monitoringAduringAexercise.ATheARPEAquantifiesAtheAsubject'sAoverallAsenseAofAeffortAbyAqu
antifyingAtheAamountAofAstrainAorAlevelAofAexertionAtheApatientAisAexperiencingAduringAacti
vity.
AfterApalpatingAseveralAperipheralApulseAsitesAaAphysicalAtherapistAconcludesAthatAaApatient
AhasAaAstrongApulseAatAtheApoplitealAartery,AbutAaAweakApulseAatAtheAdorsalisApedisAarte
ry.AWhichAmedicalAfindingAidentifiedAduringAexerciseAwouldAbeAMOSTAlikelyAbasedAonAtheA
patient'sAcurrentAstatus?
1.Orthopnea
2.DeepAveinAthrombophlebitis
3.IntermittentAclaudication
4.VenousAthrombosisA-AAnswerAIntermittentAclaudication
PalpationAofAperipheralAarteriesAisAusedAtoAassessAperfusionAofAtheAextremitiesAinAaddition
AtoApulseArate.APatientsAwithAdiabetesAorAperipheralAvascularAdiseaseAoftenAhaveAdiminishe
dAbloodAflowAtoAtheAhandsAandAfeetAandAmayAexperienceAintermittentAclaudicationApainAwh
enAtheAcirculationAisAinadequateAtoAmeetAtheAmetabolicAdemandsAofAtheAtissues.
AAstrongApoplitealAarteryApulseAandAweakAdorsalisApedisAarteryApulseAsuggestsAthatAblood
AflowAbetweenAtheseAsitesAisAdiminished,AperhapsAfromAatherosclerosis.AThisApatientAcouldA
beAexpectedAtoAexperienceAintermittentAclaudication,AorApainAinAtheAcalfAmusclesAcausedAby
AischemiaAduringAexercise.
AAspecialAtestAconfirmsAtheApresenceAofAaAsensoryAdisturbanceAaffectingAtheAfourthAandAfift
hAdigitsAofAtheAhand.AWhatAformAofAtestingAwouldAMOSTAlikelyAhaveAbeenAusedAtoAgenera
teAtheApositiveAtest?
1.ResistedAtesting
2.Tapping
3.JointAmobilityAtesting
4.ReflexAtestingA-AAnswerATapping
TestingAusingATinel'sAsignAoccursAwithAtheApatientApositionedAinAsittingAwithAtheAelbowAinA
slightAflexion.ATheAtherapistAtapsAdirectlyAoverAtheAaccessibleAportionAofAtheAulnarAnerveAa
tAtheAelbow.AAApositiveAtestAisAindicatedAbyAaAtinglingAsensationAinAtheAulnarAnerveAdistri
butionAofAtheAforearm,Ahand,AandAfingers.AAApositiveAtestAmayAbeAindicativeAofAulnarAnerv
eAcompressionAorAcompromise.
