©Jason MacConnell 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Msk Exam Questions With Correct Answers
A+
A pt with a complete T10 paraplegia resulting from a spinal cord injury is ready to begin
community wheelchair training. The plan of care includes instruction in wheelchair skills to
manage curbs. The BEST training strategy is to instruct the patient to:
a. Throw thier head and trunk backward to rise up on the large wheels.
b. Place hand on the top of the handrims to steady the chair while throwing the head and trunk
forward.
c. Lean backward while moving the hands slowly backward on the rims.
d. Grasp the handrims posteriorly and pull then forward abruptly and forcefully. - Answer✔d.
Grasp the handrims posteriorly and pull then forward abruptly and forcefully.
A patient is recovering from a left tibial amputation and reports numbness and tingling affecting
the dorsal foot and big toe. The patient knows the extremity is gone and cannot understand why
this is happening. The PTA informs the PT of the patient's newly reported symptom. The
therapist suspects the source of discomfort is MOST LIKELY pressure from residual limb
wrapping and asks the assistant to check to make sure there is NO pressure on the peripheral
nerve. The assistant knows to check for pressure on the:
a. Sural nerve
b. Medial calcaneal nerve
c. Tibial nerve
d. Common peroneal (fibular) nerve - Answer✔d. Common peroneal (fibular) nerve
A patient with a traumatic injury to the right hand had flexor tendon repair to the fingers. PT
interventions following this type of repair should begin:
a. After the splint is removed 2 - 3 weeks to allow full active ROM of all affected joints.
1
, ©Jason MacConnell 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
b. After the splint is removed 4 - 6 weeks to allow ample healing time for the repaired tendon.
c. Within a few days following surgery to preserve tendon gliding.
d. Within a few days following surgery to allow for early initiation of strengthening exercises. -
Answer✔c. Within a few days following surgery to preserve tendon gliding.
A PTA is providing home care for an older adult patient. Upon arrival the assistant notices that
the patient is confused. The patient's skin color is pale and the turgor is poor. The patient reports
an intestinal upset for the past few days with frequent vomiting and diarrhea. The assistant's
BEST course of action is to:
a. Monitor vital signs; if heart rate is not elevated, get the patient up and walking.
b. Notify the family, and insist that the patient not be alone until the illness is over.
c. Cancel therapy for today, carefully document the findings and notify the physician.
d. Give the patient water and notify the physician and physical therapist immediately. -
Answer✔d. Give the patient water and notify the physician and physical therapist immediately.
During tx for chronic shoulder pain in a recreational swimmer, the assistant observes excessive
medial rotation of the shoulders and winging of the scapula during overhead motion. The PT
diagnosis is chronic shoulder impingement. To restore balance between the anterior chest
muscles and posterior trunk muscles the therapist asks the PTA to focus on:
a. Strengthening of pectoral muscles and stretching of upper trapezius.
b. Strengthening of upper trapezius and stretching of pectoral muscles.
c. Strengthening middle and lower trapezius and stretching of pectoral muscles.
d. Strengthening of rhomboids and stretching of upper trapezius. - Answer✔c. Strengthening
middle and lower trapezius and stretching of pectoral muscles.
A patient has a 5 year history of AIDS. The case worker reports that the patient has had a gradual
increase in difficulty with walking. The patient rarely goes out anymore. A referal to physical
therapy is initiated. The PTA has been directed to provide functional training including bed
mobility and transfer training. The PTA would expect which of the following neuromuscular
symptoms with this patient?
a. Paraplegia or tetraplegia
b. Widespread sensory loss resulting in sensory ataxia.
2
, ©Jason MacConnell 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
c. Motor ataxia and paresis with pronounced gait disturbances.
d. Progressive rigidity and akinesia with severe balance disturbances. - Answer✔c. Motor ataxia
and paresis with pronounced gait disturbances.
A patient in a cardiac exercise class develops muscle weakness and fatigue. The PT's exam
reveals lower-extremity cramps and hyporeflexia. The patient also experiences frequent episodes
of postural hypotension and dizziness. There are some abnormalities on the electrocardiogram.
These findings are suggestive of:
a. Hyperkalemia
b. Hypocalcemia
c. Hyponatremia
d. Hypokalemia - Answer✔d. Hypokalemia
An athlete presents with pain and muscle spasm of the upper back (C7-T8) extending to the
lateral border of the scapula. This encompasses a 10 cm by 10 cm area on both sides of the spine.
If the ultrasound unit only has 5 cm2 sound head, the PTA should treat:
a. The entire area in 5 minutes
b. The entire area in 10 minutes
c. Each side allotting 2.5 minutes for each section
d. Each side allotting 5 minutes for each section - Answer✔d. Each side allotting 5 minutes for
each section
A patient presents with pain, joint swelling, subcutaneous olecranon nodules and increased
erythrocyte sedimentation rate. These findings are characteristic of:
a. Rheumatoid arthritis
b. Fibromyalgia
c. Systemic lupus erythematosus
d. Osteoarthritis - Answer✔a. Rheumatoid arthritis
A PTA is applying high-volt pulsed current to the vastus medialis to improve patellar tracking
during knee extension. The patient reports that the current is uncomfortable. To make the current
more tolerable to the patient, yet maintain a good therapeutic effect, what parameter should the
assistant consider adjusting?
3
, ©Jason MacConnell 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
a. Pulse rate
b. Current intensity
c. Pulse duration
d. Current polarity - Answer✔c. Pulse duration
A college soccer player sustained a hyperextension knee injury when kicking the ball with the
opposite lower extremity. The physician in the emergency room discharged the patient with a
diagnosis of "knee sprain." The patient was sent to physical therapy the next day for rehab. The
therapist's initial eval identifies a positive Lachman's test for ACL integrity. What type of
exercise is indicated in the acute phase of tx?
a. Agility exercises
b. Close-chain terminal knee extension ex
c. Open-chain terminal knee extension ex
d. Plyometric functional exercises - Answer✔b. Close-chain terminal knee extension ex
During surgery to remove an apical lung tumor, the long thoracic nerve was injured. Muscle
weakness is 3+/5. The plan of care indicates strengthening exercises for the weak muscles. The
BEST INITIAL exercises are:
a. Standing, upper-extremity overhead lifts using hand weights
b. Supine, upper-extremity overhead lifts using weights
c. Sitting, upper-extremity overhead lifts using a pulley
d. Standing, wall push-ups - Answer✔d. Standing, wall push-ups
A patient has an episode of syncope on the physical therapy clinic. The PT asks the PTA to
check to see whether the patient is experiencing orthostatic hypotension. The assistant will do
this by:
a. Checking HR and BP in supine position after 5 minutes rest, then repeating in the semi-fowler
position
b. Palpating the carotid arteries and taking HR; using the supine position for BP measurements
c. Checking HR and BP at rest, and after 3 and 5 minutes of cycle ergometry exercise
4
Msk Exam Questions With Correct Answers
A+
A pt with a complete T10 paraplegia resulting from a spinal cord injury is ready to begin
community wheelchair training. The plan of care includes instruction in wheelchair skills to
manage curbs. The BEST training strategy is to instruct the patient to:
a. Throw thier head and trunk backward to rise up on the large wheels.
b. Place hand on the top of the handrims to steady the chair while throwing the head and trunk
forward.
c. Lean backward while moving the hands slowly backward on the rims.
d. Grasp the handrims posteriorly and pull then forward abruptly and forcefully. - Answer✔d.
Grasp the handrims posteriorly and pull then forward abruptly and forcefully.
A patient is recovering from a left tibial amputation and reports numbness and tingling affecting
the dorsal foot and big toe. The patient knows the extremity is gone and cannot understand why
this is happening. The PTA informs the PT of the patient's newly reported symptom. The
therapist suspects the source of discomfort is MOST LIKELY pressure from residual limb
wrapping and asks the assistant to check to make sure there is NO pressure on the peripheral
nerve. The assistant knows to check for pressure on the:
a. Sural nerve
b. Medial calcaneal nerve
c. Tibial nerve
d. Common peroneal (fibular) nerve - Answer✔d. Common peroneal (fibular) nerve
A patient with a traumatic injury to the right hand had flexor tendon repair to the fingers. PT
interventions following this type of repair should begin:
a. After the splint is removed 2 - 3 weeks to allow full active ROM of all affected joints.
1
, ©Jason MacConnell 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
b. After the splint is removed 4 - 6 weeks to allow ample healing time for the repaired tendon.
c. Within a few days following surgery to preserve tendon gliding.
d. Within a few days following surgery to allow for early initiation of strengthening exercises. -
Answer✔c. Within a few days following surgery to preserve tendon gliding.
A PTA is providing home care for an older adult patient. Upon arrival the assistant notices that
the patient is confused. The patient's skin color is pale and the turgor is poor. The patient reports
an intestinal upset for the past few days with frequent vomiting and diarrhea. The assistant's
BEST course of action is to:
a. Monitor vital signs; if heart rate is not elevated, get the patient up and walking.
b. Notify the family, and insist that the patient not be alone until the illness is over.
c. Cancel therapy for today, carefully document the findings and notify the physician.
d. Give the patient water and notify the physician and physical therapist immediately. -
Answer✔d. Give the patient water and notify the physician and physical therapist immediately.
During tx for chronic shoulder pain in a recreational swimmer, the assistant observes excessive
medial rotation of the shoulders and winging of the scapula during overhead motion. The PT
diagnosis is chronic shoulder impingement. To restore balance between the anterior chest
muscles and posterior trunk muscles the therapist asks the PTA to focus on:
a. Strengthening of pectoral muscles and stretching of upper trapezius.
b. Strengthening of upper trapezius and stretching of pectoral muscles.
c. Strengthening middle and lower trapezius and stretching of pectoral muscles.
d. Strengthening of rhomboids and stretching of upper trapezius. - Answer✔c. Strengthening
middle and lower trapezius and stretching of pectoral muscles.
A patient has a 5 year history of AIDS. The case worker reports that the patient has had a gradual
increase in difficulty with walking. The patient rarely goes out anymore. A referal to physical
therapy is initiated. The PTA has been directed to provide functional training including bed
mobility and transfer training. The PTA would expect which of the following neuromuscular
symptoms with this patient?
a. Paraplegia or tetraplegia
b. Widespread sensory loss resulting in sensory ataxia.
2
, ©Jason MacConnell 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
c. Motor ataxia and paresis with pronounced gait disturbances.
d. Progressive rigidity and akinesia with severe balance disturbances. - Answer✔c. Motor ataxia
and paresis with pronounced gait disturbances.
A patient in a cardiac exercise class develops muscle weakness and fatigue. The PT's exam
reveals lower-extremity cramps and hyporeflexia. The patient also experiences frequent episodes
of postural hypotension and dizziness. There are some abnormalities on the electrocardiogram.
These findings are suggestive of:
a. Hyperkalemia
b. Hypocalcemia
c. Hyponatremia
d. Hypokalemia - Answer✔d. Hypokalemia
An athlete presents with pain and muscle spasm of the upper back (C7-T8) extending to the
lateral border of the scapula. This encompasses a 10 cm by 10 cm area on both sides of the spine.
If the ultrasound unit only has 5 cm2 sound head, the PTA should treat:
a. The entire area in 5 minutes
b. The entire area in 10 minutes
c. Each side allotting 2.5 minutes for each section
d. Each side allotting 5 minutes for each section - Answer✔d. Each side allotting 5 minutes for
each section
A patient presents with pain, joint swelling, subcutaneous olecranon nodules and increased
erythrocyte sedimentation rate. These findings are characteristic of:
a. Rheumatoid arthritis
b. Fibromyalgia
c. Systemic lupus erythematosus
d. Osteoarthritis - Answer✔a. Rheumatoid arthritis
A PTA is applying high-volt pulsed current to the vastus medialis to improve patellar tracking
during knee extension. The patient reports that the current is uncomfortable. To make the current
more tolerable to the patient, yet maintain a good therapeutic effect, what parameter should the
assistant consider adjusting?
3
, ©Jason MacConnell 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
a. Pulse rate
b. Current intensity
c. Pulse duration
d. Current polarity - Answer✔c. Pulse duration
A college soccer player sustained a hyperextension knee injury when kicking the ball with the
opposite lower extremity. The physician in the emergency room discharged the patient with a
diagnosis of "knee sprain." The patient was sent to physical therapy the next day for rehab. The
therapist's initial eval identifies a positive Lachman's test for ACL integrity. What type of
exercise is indicated in the acute phase of tx?
a. Agility exercises
b. Close-chain terminal knee extension ex
c. Open-chain terminal knee extension ex
d. Plyometric functional exercises - Answer✔b. Close-chain terminal knee extension ex
During surgery to remove an apical lung tumor, the long thoracic nerve was injured. Muscle
weakness is 3+/5. The plan of care indicates strengthening exercises for the weak muscles. The
BEST INITIAL exercises are:
a. Standing, upper-extremity overhead lifts using hand weights
b. Supine, upper-extremity overhead lifts using weights
c. Sitting, upper-extremity overhead lifts using a pulley
d. Standing, wall push-ups - Answer✔d. Standing, wall push-ups
A patient has an episode of syncope on the physical therapy clinic. The PT asks the PTA to
check to see whether the patient is experiencing orthostatic hypotension. The assistant will do
this by:
a. Checking HR and BP in supine position after 5 minutes rest, then repeating in the semi-fowler
position
b. Palpating the carotid arteries and taking HR; using the supine position for BP measurements
c. Checking HR and BP at rest, and after 3 and 5 minutes of cycle ergometry exercise
4
