NBCE PT Boards Exam Prep Test Bank 2 with 500
Questions and Correct Answers/ NBCE PT Boards
Physiotherapy Exam Prep Test Bank Latest 2026-2027
Which of the following is the correct order of reaction to cryotherapy?
A) Loss of light touch and cold, motor power, pain and gross pressure
B) Loss of pain, cold, motor power, light touch
C) Loss of motor power, pain, cold, light touch
D) Loss of cold, pain, motor power, light touch -ANSWER- A) Loss of light touch
and cold, motor power, pain and gross pressure
Which of the following would be a detrimental effect of local heating?
A) Non-inflammatory edema formation
B) Increased blood flow
C) Increased metabolism
D) Muscle relaxation -ANSWER- A) Non-inflammatory edema formation
A 6-year-old male presents 2 months after a surgical repair of a hip fracture with a
nail. Which modality is contraindicated in treatment of the pain, muscle spasm, and
decreased ROM?
A) Shortwave diathermy
B) Hydrocollator pack
C) Infrared
D) Pulsed ultrasound -ANSWER- A) Shortwave diathermy
What is an effect of high frequency therapy?
A) Analgesic
B) Hypo-myotonia
C) Edema reduction
D) Postural change -ANSWER- A) Analgesic
In which range of scoliosis does one generally employ a Milwaukee brace?
A) 20 - 40 degrees
B) 10 - 20 degrees
1
,C) 40 - 60 degrees
D) 60 - 80 degrees -ANSWER- A) 20 - 40 degrees
How long after an injury does adhesion formation begin?
A) 24 hours
B) 5 days
C) 2 weeks
D) 1 month -ANSWER- A) 24 hours
Milwaukee, Boston, and TLSO braces are primarily used for which condition?
A) Scoliosis
B) Kyphosis
C) Lordosis
D) Spondylolisthesis -ANSWER- A) Scoliosis
The most important reason to use a brace in scoliosis is to?
A) Inhibit greater progression of the curve
B) Correct the curve
C) Prevent pain
D) Improve posture -ANSWER- A) Inhibit greater progression of the curve
When treating a patient with low back strain, the modality chosen should be given
careful consideration when the patient ...?
A) Is pregnant
B) Has diabetes
C) Has hypertension
D) Has osteoporosis -ANSWER- A) Is pregnant
Which of the following is the method by which the blood vascular system
dissipates heat?
A) Convection
B) Conduction
C) Radiation
D) Evaporation -ANSWER- A) Convection
The velocity of peripheral nerve conduction is decreased ___m/sec per degree
centigrade of cooling?
A) 2.4
B) 1.5
2
,C) 3.0
D) 4.2 -ANSWER- A) 2.4
Which of the following physiotherapy machines might be best used for carbuncles,
wounds and infected ulcers?
A) Ultraviolet radiation
B) Ultrasound
C) Diathermy
D) Infrared -ANSWER- A) Ultraviolet radiation
Traction is contraindicated in which of the following conditions?
A) Hypertension
B) Disc herniation
C) Muscle spasm
D) Arthritis -ANSWER- A) Hypertension
Flexible foot orthotics are useful in which of these activities?
A) Blocking excessive pronation
B) Increasing supination
C) Correcting leg length discrepancy
D) Immobilizing the foot -ANSWER- A) Blocking excessive pronation
Infrared heat therapy can penetrate tissue to a maximum of approximately?
A) 1 cm
B) 2 cm
C) 3 cm
D) 5 cm -ANSWER- A) 1 cm
Diathermy works primarily by causing which of the following?
A) Vasodilation of blood vessels
B) Vasoconstriction of blood vessels
C) Muscle contraction
D) Nerve stimulation -ANSWER- A) Vasodilation of blood vessels
What is the effect of "making or breaking" a galvanic current?
A) Muscle will contract
B) Muscle will relax
C) Pain will increase
D) Circulation will decrease -ANSWER- A) Muscle will contract
3
, One of the most important contraindications to lumbar traction is ?
A) Osteoporosis, especially of the ribs
B) Disc herniation
C) Sciatica
D) Muscle spasm -ANSWER- A) Osteoporosis, especially of the ribs
The most commonly useful range of ultrasound is?
A) 0.5 - 2.0 watts/cm²
B) 2.0 - 3.0 watts/cm²
C) 0.1 - 0.5 watts/cm²
D) 3.0 - 4.0 watts/cm² -ANSWER- A) 0.5 - 2.0 watts/cm²
Which of the following is a contraindication to ultrasound?
A) Anesthesia
B) Muscle spasm
C) Arthritis
D) Bursitis -ANSWER- A) Anesthesia
Ultrasound, shortwave diathermy and microwave diathermy use the following
electrical energy (in order of units mentioned)?
A) 1 megacycle, 27 megacycles, 2450 megacycles
B) 27 megacycles, 1 megacycle, 2450 megacycles
C) 2450 megacycles, 27 megacycles, 1 megacycle
D) 1 megacycle, 2450 megacycles, 27 megacycles -ANSWER- A) 1 megacycle, 27
megacycles, 2450 megacycles
In near infrared, it is estimated that the maximal effect on arterial circulation is not
attained in less than?
A) 20 minutes
B) 10 minutes
C) 30 minutes
D) 15 minutes -ANSWER- A) 20 minutes
One goes from cold to hot in the treatment of?
A) Acute disorders to chronic disorders
B) Chronic disorders to acute disorders
C) Inflammatory conditions
D) Muscular conditions -ANSWER- A) Acute disorders to chronic disorders
4
Questions and Correct Answers/ NBCE PT Boards
Physiotherapy Exam Prep Test Bank Latest 2026-2027
Which of the following is the correct order of reaction to cryotherapy?
A) Loss of light touch and cold, motor power, pain and gross pressure
B) Loss of pain, cold, motor power, light touch
C) Loss of motor power, pain, cold, light touch
D) Loss of cold, pain, motor power, light touch -ANSWER- A) Loss of light touch
and cold, motor power, pain and gross pressure
Which of the following would be a detrimental effect of local heating?
A) Non-inflammatory edema formation
B) Increased blood flow
C) Increased metabolism
D) Muscle relaxation -ANSWER- A) Non-inflammatory edema formation
A 6-year-old male presents 2 months after a surgical repair of a hip fracture with a
nail. Which modality is contraindicated in treatment of the pain, muscle spasm, and
decreased ROM?
A) Shortwave diathermy
B) Hydrocollator pack
C) Infrared
D) Pulsed ultrasound -ANSWER- A) Shortwave diathermy
What is an effect of high frequency therapy?
A) Analgesic
B) Hypo-myotonia
C) Edema reduction
D) Postural change -ANSWER- A) Analgesic
In which range of scoliosis does one generally employ a Milwaukee brace?
A) 20 - 40 degrees
B) 10 - 20 degrees
1
,C) 40 - 60 degrees
D) 60 - 80 degrees -ANSWER- A) 20 - 40 degrees
How long after an injury does adhesion formation begin?
A) 24 hours
B) 5 days
C) 2 weeks
D) 1 month -ANSWER- A) 24 hours
Milwaukee, Boston, and TLSO braces are primarily used for which condition?
A) Scoliosis
B) Kyphosis
C) Lordosis
D) Spondylolisthesis -ANSWER- A) Scoliosis
The most important reason to use a brace in scoliosis is to?
A) Inhibit greater progression of the curve
B) Correct the curve
C) Prevent pain
D) Improve posture -ANSWER- A) Inhibit greater progression of the curve
When treating a patient with low back strain, the modality chosen should be given
careful consideration when the patient ...?
A) Is pregnant
B) Has diabetes
C) Has hypertension
D) Has osteoporosis -ANSWER- A) Is pregnant
Which of the following is the method by which the blood vascular system
dissipates heat?
A) Convection
B) Conduction
C) Radiation
D) Evaporation -ANSWER- A) Convection
The velocity of peripheral nerve conduction is decreased ___m/sec per degree
centigrade of cooling?
A) 2.4
B) 1.5
2
,C) 3.0
D) 4.2 -ANSWER- A) 2.4
Which of the following physiotherapy machines might be best used for carbuncles,
wounds and infected ulcers?
A) Ultraviolet radiation
B) Ultrasound
C) Diathermy
D) Infrared -ANSWER- A) Ultraviolet radiation
Traction is contraindicated in which of the following conditions?
A) Hypertension
B) Disc herniation
C) Muscle spasm
D) Arthritis -ANSWER- A) Hypertension
Flexible foot orthotics are useful in which of these activities?
A) Blocking excessive pronation
B) Increasing supination
C) Correcting leg length discrepancy
D) Immobilizing the foot -ANSWER- A) Blocking excessive pronation
Infrared heat therapy can penetrate tissue to a maximum of approximately?
A) 1 cm
B) 2 cm
C) 3 cm
D) 5 cm -ANSWER- A) 1 cm
Diathermy works primarily by causing which of the following?
A) Vasodilation of blood vessels
B) Vasoconstriction of blood vessels
C) Muscle contraction
D) Nerve stimulation -ANSWER- A) Vasodilation of blood vessels
What is the effect of "making or breaking" a galvanic current?
A) Muscle will contract
B) Muscle will relax
C) Pain will increase
D) Circulation will decrease -ANSWER- A) Muscle will contract
3
, One of the most important contraindications to lumbar traction is ?
A) Osteoporosis, especially of the ribs
B) Disc herniation
C) Sciatica
D) Muscle spasm -ANSWER- A) Osteoporosis, especially of the ribs
The most commonly useful range of ultrasound is?
A) 0.5 - 2.0 watts/cm²
B) 2.0 - 3.0 watts/cm²
C) 0.1 - 0.5 watts/cm²
D) 3.0 - 4.0 watts/cm² -ANSWER- A) 0.5 - 2.0 watts/cm²
Which of the following is a contraindication to ultrasound?
A) Anesthesia
B) Muscle spasm
C) Arthritis
D) Bursitis -ANSWER- A) Anesthesia
Ultrasound, shortwave diathermy and microwave diathermy use the following
electrical energy (in order of units mentioned)?
A) 1 megacycle, 27 megacycles, 2450 megacycles
B) 27 megacycles, 1 megacycle, 2450 megacycles
C) 2450 megacycles, 27 megacycles, 1 megacycle
D) 1 megacycle, 2450 megacycles, 27 megacycles -ANSWER- A) 1 megacycle, 27
megacycles, 2450 megacycles
In near infrared, it is estimated that the maximal effect on arterial circulation is not
attained in less than?
A) 20 minutes
B) 10 minutes
C) 30 minutes
D) 15 minutes -ANSWER- A) 20 minutes
One goes from cold to hot in the treatment of?
A) Acute disorders to chronic disorders
B) Chronic disorders to acute disorders
C) Inflammatory conditions
D) Muscular conditions -ANSWER- A) Acute disorders to chronic disorders
4
