NCS Practice Test 2 Questions with
Verified Answers
Sensory function, cognition, and oculomotor function are usually spared.
2. A forefoot initial contact increases the energy demand of gait by interfering with
which rocker?
a. Heel
b. Ankle
c. Forefoot
d. All of the above - ANSWER-d. All of the above
Each of the rockers would be disrupted by a forefoot initial contact.
3. A patient presents to a physical therapy clinic for an evaluation post-stroke. His
medication list includes Topamax. This medication is used to treat which condition?
a. Depression
b. Infection
c. Seizures
d. Spasticity - ANSWER-c. Seizures
4. Learners demonstrate improved retention with knowledge of performance
feedback because it allows the person to know what details to adjust during the next
trial.
a. True
b. False - ANSWER-b. False
Knowledge of results feedback has shown to improve retention. Feedback given is in
regard to amount of the goal achieved and outcomes. This allows the learner to self-
correct and develop his or her own solutions to the problem, which is necessary for
true motor learning to occur.
5. In which phase of learning will the learner demonstrate ability to self-correct, make
adjustments in details to complete the task, increase degrees of freedom, and
require fading feedback?
a. Cognitive
b. Associative
c. Autonomous
d. Expert - ANSWER-b. Associative
The above-mentioned factors are characteristic of the associative/advanced phase
of learning.
6. Which of the following is characteristic of declarative (explicit) memory?
,a. Does not require conscious awareness
b. Formed by frequent repetition
c. Reflexive and automatic
d. Involves association of informative in regards to people, things, and past
experiences - ANSWER-d. Involves association of informative in regards to people,
things, and past experiences
The remaining answers are describing characteristics of non-declarative (implicit)
memory.
7. What is an appropriate activity or way to interact to improve function with a patient
exhibiting level VI of the Rancho Los Amigos Levels of Cognitive Functioning?
a. Provide only single-step commands.
b. Complete all activities in a quiet room to prevent distractibility and agitation.
c. Provide verbal cues to encourage the patient to negotiate through an obstacle
course in a set time.
d. Allow patient to complete all activities of daily living without assistance or verbal
cues.
A person in the "confused/appropriate" state demonstrates appropriate goal-directed
behavior with help of external cues. They are able to follow simple directions
consistently and working toward multi-step directions. They demonstrate improving
awareness to person, place, and time. - ANSWER-c. Provide verbal cues to
encourage the patient to negotiate through an obstacle course in a set time.
A person in the "confused/appropriate" state demonstrates appropriate goal-directed
behavior with help of external cues. They are able to follow simple directions
consistently and working toward multi-step directions. They demonstrate improving
awareness to person, place, and time.
8. Which of the following medications is known to affect vestibular hair cells?
a. Methotrexate
b. Thiazides
c. Meclizine
d. Gentamicin - ANSWER-d. Gentamicin
Certain antibiotics, most commonly gentamicin, affect vestibular hair cells
9. A 38-year-old male is six months status-post middle cerebral artery stroke. During
an outpatient physical therapy evaluation, he scored 96 on the Stroke Impact Scale.
Based on this information alone, how severe do you expect his limitations to be?
a. Very severe limitations
b. Moderate limitations
c. Mild limitations
d. Very minimal limitations - ANSWER-d. Very minimal limitations
The Stroke Impact Scale is a Likert scale assessing an individual's health status
following a stroke. The score ranges from 0-100 with higher numbers representing
greater recovery/less impairment.
10. What plays a critical role in a physical therapist's duty to prevent development of
contractures in comatose patients?
a. Proper positioning
, b. Passive range of motion exercises once per day
c. Administering Botulinum toxin injections
d. Serial casting - ANSWER-a. Proper positioning
Posturing, increased tone, and comatose states can contribute to the development of
contractures. Due to the amount of time spent in bed, positioning a patient in
lengthened position with mindfulness of bony prominences helps to prevent pressure
injuries and contractures.
11. A patient presents to clinic complaining of "spinning" when rolling over in bed and
while washing her hair in the shower. The patient tests positive in the Dix-Hallpike
position with her head rotated to the right side. Nystagmus appears to be up-beating
and torsional and lasts approximately one and a half minutes. What treatment would
be best to address this finding?
a. Epley maneuver starting with head rotated to the right
b. Epley maneuver starting with head rotated to the left
c. Liberatory maneuver
d. Barbeque roll - ANSWER-c. Liberatory maneuver
Patient's nystagmus suggests posterior canal involvement. Because nystagmus
lasted longer than one minute, cupulolithiasis is suspected. The Liberatory maneuver
is the best option to address this.
12. You are seeing a 70-year-old male diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. His
neurologist has classified him as being in stage 4 of the disease. What methodology
of instruction is best for this patient?
a. Massed practice
b. Training
c. Open environment
d. Part practice - ANSWER-b. Training
Due to the severity of his disease, training would be the best way to improve his
function. Training involves providing the patient with solutions to problems and
memorizing movement patterns with repetition. In order for learning of new skills to
occur, a person must not possess severe cognitive impairments, which we would
expect at this stage of the disease.
13. A person who has survived a stroke should engage in minimal intensity
cardiovascular activity due to risk of elevating blood pressure.
a. True
b. False - ANSWER-b. False
Research supports implementation of higher intensity and progressive exercise to
return function and decrease risk of future stroke.
14. What is the gold standard for determining the intactness of the peripheral
vestibular system?
a. Head impulse test (head thrust)
b. Caloric test
c. Vestibular evoked myogenic potential
d. Dynamic visual acuity - ANSWER-b. Caloric test
Verified Answers
Sensory function, cognition, and oculomotor function are usually spared.
2. A forefoot initial contact increases the energy demand of gait by interfering with
which rocker?
a. Heel
b. Ankle
c. Forefoot
d. All of the above - ANSWER-d. All of the above
Each of the rockers would be disrupted by a forefoot initial contact.
3. A patient presents to a physical therapy clinic for an evaluation post-stroke. His
medication list includes Topamax. This medication is used to treat which condition?
a. Depression
b. Infection
c. Seizures
d. Spasticity - ANSWER-c. Seizures
4. Learners demonstrate improved retention with knowledge of performance
feedback because it allows the person to know what details to adjust during the next
trial.
a. True
b. False - ANSWER-b. False
Knowledge of results feedback has shown to improve retention. Feedback given is in
regard to amount of the goal achieved and outcomes. This allows the learner to self-
correct and develop his or her own solutions to the problem, which is necessary for
true motor learning to occur.
5. In which phase of learning will the learner demonstrate ability to self-correct, make
adjustments in details to complete the task, increase degrees of freedom, and
require fading feedback?
a. Cognitive
b. Associative
c. Autonomous
d. Expert - ANSWER-b. Associative
The above-mentioned factors are characteristic of the associative/advanced phase
of learning.
6. Which of the following is characteristic of declarative (explicit) memory?
,a. Does not require conscious awareness
b. Formed by frequent repetition
c. Reflexive and automatic
d. Involves association of informative in regards to people, things, and past
experiences - ANSWER-d. Involves association of informative in regards to people,
things, and past experiences
The remaining answers are describing characteristics of non-declarative (implicit)
memory.
7. What is an appropriate activity or way to interact to improve function with a patient
exhibiting level VI of the Rancho Los Amigos Levels of Cognitive Functioning?
a. Provide only single-step commands.
b. Complete all activities in a quiet room to prevent distractibility and agitation.
c. Provide verbal cues to encourage the patient to negotiate through an obstacle
course in a set time.
d. Allow patient to complete all activities of daily living without assistance or verbal
cues.
A person in the "confused/appropriate" state demonstrates appropriate goal-directed
behavior with help of external cues. They are able to follow simple directions
consistently and working toward multi-step directions. They demonstrate improving
awareness to person, place, and time. - ANSWER-c. Provide verbal cues to
encourage the patient to negotiate through an obstacle course in a set time.
A person in the "confused/appropriate" state demonstrates appropriate goal-directed
behavior with help of external cues. They are able to follow simple directions
consistently and working toward multi-step directions. They demonstrate improving
awareness to person, place, and time.
8. Which of the following medications is known to affect vestibular hair cells?
a. Methotrexate
b. Thiazides
c. Meclizine
d. Gentamicin - ANSWER-d. Gentamicin
Certain antibiotics, most commonly gentamicin, affect vestibular hair cells
9. A 38-year-old male is six months status-post middle cerebral artery stroke. During
an outpatient physical therapy evaluation, he scored 96 on the Stroke Impact Scale.
Based on this information alone, how severe do you expect his limitations to be?
a. Very severe limitations
b. Moderate limitations
c. Mild limitations
d. Very minimal limitations - ANSWER-d. Very minimal limitations
The Stroke Impact Scale is a Likert scale assessing an individual's health status
following a stroke. The score ranges from 0-100 with higher numbers representing
greater recovery/less impairment.
10. What plays a critical role in a physical therapist's duty to prevent development of
contractures in comatose patients?
a. Proper positioning
, b. Passive range of motion exercises once per day
c. Administering Botulinum toxin injections
d. Serial casting - ANSWER-a. Proper positioning
Posturing, increased tone, and comatose states can contribute to the development of
contractures. Due to the amount of time spent in bed, positioning a patient in
lengthened position with mindfulness of bony prominences helps to prevent pressure
injuries and contractures.
11. A patient presents to clinic complaining of "spinning" when rolling over in bed and
while washing her hair in the shower. The patient tests positive in the Dix-Hallpike
position with her head rotated to the right side. Nystagmus appears to be up-beating
and torsional and lasts approximately one and a half minutes. What treatment would
be best to address this finding?
a. Epley maneuver starting with head rotated to the right
b. Epley maneuver starting with head rotated to the left
c. Liberatory maneuver
d. Barbeque roll - ANSWER-c. Liberatory maneuver
Patient's nystagmus suggests posterior canal involvement. Because nystagmus
lasted longer than one minute, cupulolithiasis is suspected. The Liberatory maneuver
is the best option to address this.
12. You are seeing a 70-year-old male diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. His
neurologist has classified him as being in stage 4 of the disease. What methodology
of instruction is best for this patient?
a. Massed practice
b. Training
c. Open environment
d. Part practice - ANSWER-b. Training
Due to the severity of his disease, training would be the best way to improve his
function. Training involves providing the patient with solutions to problems and
memorizing movement patterns with repetition. In order for learning of new skills to
occur, a person must not possess severe cognitive impairments, which we would
expect at this stage of the disease.
13. A person who has survived a stroke should engage in minimal intensity
cardiovascular activity due to risk of elevating blood pressure.
a. True
b. False - ANSWER-b. False
Research supports implementation of higher intensity and progressive exercise to
return function and decrease risk of future stroke.
14. What is the gold standard for determining the intactness of the peripheral
vestibular system?
a. Head impulse test (head thrust)
b. Caloric test
c. Vestibular evoked myogenic potential
d. Dynamic visual acuity - ANSWER-b. Caloric test
