BATES TEST QUESTIONS AND ALL
CORRECT ANSWERS 2025-2026
UPDATED.
tenderness - Answer You are assessing a patient with joint pain and are trying to decide
whether it is inflammatory or noninflammatory in nature. Which one of the following symptoms
is consistent with an inflammatory process?
A) Tenderness
B) Cool temperature
C) Ecchymosis
D) Nodules
lupus - Answer You are assessing a patient with diffuse joint pains and want to make sure
that only the joints are the problem, and that the pain is not related to other diseases. Which of
the following is a systemic cause of joint pain?
A) Gout
B) Osteoarthritis
C) Lupus
D) Spondylosis
lyme disease - Answer A 19-year-old college sophomore comes to the clinic for evaluation of
joint pains. The student has been back from spring break for 2 weeks; during her holiday, she
went camping. She notes that she had a red spot, shaped like a target, but then it started
spreading, and then the joint pains started. She used insect repellant but was in an area known
to have ticks. She has never been sick and takes no medications routinely; she has never been
sexually active. What is the most likely cause of her joint pain?
foot arched - Answer An 85-year-old retired housewife comes with her daughter to establish
care. Her daughter is concerned because her mother has started to fall more. As part of her
physical examination, you ask her to walk across the examination room. Which of the following
is not part of the stance phase of gait?
A) Foot arched
B) Heel strike
C) Mid-stance
D) Push-off
,usual. He also states that he has numbness and tingling in the left leg. He wants to know if he
needs to be off of work. What test should you perform to assess for a herniated disc?
mechanical low back pain - Answer A 33-year-old construction worker comes for evaluation
and treatment of acute onset of low back pain. He notes that the pain is an aching located in
the lumbosacral area. It has been present intermittently for several years; there is no known
trauma or injury. He points to the left lower back. The pain does not radiate and there is no
numbness or tingling in the legs or incontinence. He was moving furniture for a friend over the
weekend. On physical examination, you note muscle spasm, with normal deep tendon reflexes
and muscle strength. What is the most likely cause of this patient's low back pain?
Cervical sprain - Answer A 50-year-old realtor comes to your office for evaluation of neck
pain. She was in a motor vehicle collision 2 days ago and was assessed by the emergency
medical technicians on site, but she didn't think that she needed to go to the emergency room
at that time. Now, she has severe pain and stiffness in her neck. On physical examination, you
note pain and spasm over the paraspinous muscles on the left side of the neck, and pain when
you make the patient do active range of motion of the cervical spine. What is the most likely
cause of this neck pain?
Fibromyalgia - Answer A 28-year-old graduate student comes to your clinic for evaluation of
pain "all over." With further questioning, she is able to relate that the pain is worse in the neck,
shoulders, hands, low back, and knees. She denies swelling in her joints; she states that the pain
is worse in the morning; there is no limitation in her range of motion. On physical examination,
she has several points on the muscles of the neck, shoulders, and back that are tender to
palpation; muscle strength and range of motion are normal. Which of the following is likely the
cause of her pain?
Rotator cuff tendinitis - Answer A 68-year-old retired banker comes to your clinic for
evaluation of left shoulder pain. He swims for 30 minutes daily, early in the morning. He notes a
sharp, catching pain and a sensation of something grating when he tries overhead movements
of his arm. On physical examination, you note tenderness just below the tip of the acromion in
the area of the tendon insertions. The drop arm test is negative, and there is no limitation with
shoulder shrug. The patient is not holding his arm close to his side, and there is no tenderness
to palpation in the bicipital groove when the arm is at the patient's side, flexed to 90 degrees,
and then supinated against resistance. Based on this description, what is the most likely cause
of his shoulder pain?
tendons - Answer A high school soccer player "blew out his knee" when the opposing
goalie's head and shoulder struck his flexed knee while the goalie was diving for the ball. All of
the following structures were involved in some way in his injury, but which of the following is
actually an extra-articular structure?
,D) Tendons
Extra-articular - Answer Ray works a physical job and notes pain when he attempts to lift his
arm over his head. When you move the shoulder passively, he has full range of motion without
pain and there is no gross swelling or tenderness. What type of joint disease does this most
likely represent?
Cartilaginous - Answer Mark is a contractor who recently injured his back. He was told he
had a "bulging disc" to account for the burning pain down his right leg and slight foot drop. The
vertebral bodies of the spine involve which type of joint?
Temporomandibular joint - Answer Which of the following synovial joints would be an
example of a condylar joint?
A) Hip
B) Interphalangeal joints of the hand
C) Temporomandibular joint
D) Intervertebral joint
Pain that is bilateral - Answer A 58-year-old man comes to your office complaining of
bilateral back pain that now awakens him at night. This has been steadily increasing for the past
2 months. Which one of the following is the most reassuring in this patient with back pain?
A) Age over 50
B) Pain at night
C) Pain lasting more than 1 month or not responding to therapy
D) Pain that is bilateral
Cauda equina - Answer Marion presents to your office with back pain associated with
constipation and urinary retention. Which of the following is most likely?
pain - Answer Louise, a 60-year-old, complains of left knee pain associated with tenderness
throughout, redness, and warmth over the joint. Which of the following is least helpful in
determining if a joint problem is inflammatory?
A) Tenderness
B) Pain
C) Warmth
, A) Articular joint pain
B) Bursitis
C) Muscular injury
D) Nerve damage
Gonococcal arthritis - Answer You are working in a college health clinic and seeing a young
woman with a red, painful, swollen DIP joint on the left index finger. There are also a few
papules, pustules, and vesicles on reddened bases, located on the distal extremities. This would
be consistent with with what?
Delayed menarche - Answer An obese 55-year-old woman went through menarche at age 16
and menopause 2 years ago. She is concerned because an aunt had severe osteoporosis. Which
of the following is a risk factor for osteoporosis?
A) Obesity
B) Late menopause
C) Having an aunt with osteoporosis
D) Delayed menarche
Rheumatoid arthritis - Answer A 38-year-old woman comes to you and has multiple small
joints involved with pain, swelling, and stiffness. Which of the following is the most likely
explanation?
A) Rheumatoid arthritis
B) Septic arthritis
C) Gout
D) Trauma
Temporomandibular joint syndrome - Answer Mrs. Fletcher comes to your office with
unilateral pain during chewing, which is chronic. She does not have facial tenderness or
tenderness of the scalp. What is the most likely cause of her pain?
2-3 weeks - Answer A man's wife is upset because when she hugs him with her hands on his
left shoulder blade, "it feels creepy." This came on gradually after a recent severe left-sided
rotator cuff tear. How long does it usually take to develop muscular atrophy with increased
prominence of the scapular spine following a rotator cuff tear?
CORRECT ANSWERS 2025-2026
UPDATED.
tenderness - Answer You are assessing a patient with joint pain and are trying to decide
whether it is inflammatory or noninflammatory in nature. Which one of the following symptoms
is consistent with an inflammatory process?
A) Tenderness
B) Cool temperature
C) Ecchymosis
D) Nodules
lupus - Answer You are assessing a patient with diffuse joint pains and want to make sure
that only the joints are the problem, and that the pain is not related to other diseases. Which of
the following is a systemic cause of joint pain?
A) Gout
B) Osteoarthritis
C) Lupus
D) Spondylosis
lyme disease - Answer A 19-year-old college sophomore comes to the clinic for evaluation of
joint pains. The student has been back from spring break for 2 weeks; during her holiday, she
went camping. She notes that she had a red spot, shaped like a target, but then it started
spreading, and then the joint pains started. She used insect repellant but was in an area known
to have ticks. She has never been sick and takes no medications routinely; she has never been
sexually active. What is the most likely cause of her joint pain?
foot arched - Answer An 85-year-old retired housewife comes with her daughter to establish
care. Her daughter is concerned because her mother has started to fall more. As part of her
physical examination, you ask her to walk across the examination room. Which of the following
is not part of the stance phase of gait?
A) Foot arched
B) Heel strike
C) Mid-stance
D) Push-off
,usual. He also states that he has numbness and tingling in the left leg. He wants to know if he
needs to be off of work. What test should you perform to assess for a herniated disc?
mechanical low back pain - Answer A 33-year-old construction worker comes for evaluation
and treatment of acute onset of low back pain. He notes that the pain is an aching located in
the lumbosacral area. It has been present intermittently for several years; there is no known
trauma or injury. He points to the left lower back. The pain does not radiate and there is no
numbness or tingling in the legs or incontinence. He was moving furniture for a friend over the
weekend. On physical examination, you note muscle spasm, with normal deep tendon reflexes
and muscle strength. What is the most likely cause of this patient's low back pain?
Cervical sprain - Answer A 50-year-old realtor comes to your office for evaluation of neck
pain. She was in a motor vehicle collision 2 days ago and was assessed by the emergency
medical technicians on site, but she didn't think that she needed to go to the emergency room
at that time. Now, she has severe pain and stiffness in her neck. On physical examination, you
note pain and spasm over the paraspinous muscles on the left side of the neck, and pain when
you make the patient do active range of motion of the cervical spine. What is the most likely
cause of this neck pain?
Fibromyalgia - Answer A 28-year-old graduate student comes to your clinic for evaluation of
pain "all over." With further questioning, she is able to relate that the pain is worse in the neck,
shoulders, hands, low back, and knees. She denies swelling in her joints; she states that the pain
is worse in the morning; there is no limitation in her range of motion. On physical examination,
she has several points on the muscles of the neck, shoulders, and back that are tender to
palpation; muscle strength and range of motion are normal. Which of the following is likely the
cause of her pain?
Rotator cuff tendinitis - Answer A 68-year-old retired banker comes to your clinic for
evaluation of left shoulder pain. He swims for 30 minutes daily, early in the morning. He notes a
sharp, catching pain and a sensation of something grating when he tries overhead movements
of his arm. On physical examination, you note tenderness just below the tip of the acromion in
the area of the tendon insertions. The drop arm test is negative, and there is no limitation with
shoulder shrug. The patient is not holding his arm close to his side, and there is no tenderness
to palpation in the bicipital groove when the arm is at the patient's side, flexed to 90 degrees,
and then supinated against resistance. Based on this description, what is the most likely cause
of his shoulder pain?
tendons - Answer A high school soccer player "blew out his knee" when the opposing
goalie's head and shoulder struck his flexed knee while the goalie was diving for the ball. All of
the following structures were involved in some way in his injury, but which of the following is
actually an extra-articular structure?
,D) Tendons
Extra-articular - Answer Ray works a physical job and notes pain when he attempts to lift his
arm over his head. When you move the shoulder passively, he has full range of motion without
pain and there is no gross swelling or tenderness. What type of joint disease does this most
likely represent?
Cartilaginous - Answer Mark is a contractor who recently injured his back. He was told he
had a "bulging disc" to account for the burning pain down his right leg and slight foot drop. The
vertebral bodies of the spine involve which type of joint?
Temporomandibular joint - Answer Which of the following synovial joints would be an
example of a condylar joint?
A) Hip
B) Interphalangeal joints of the hand
C) Temporomandibular joint
D) Intervertebral joint
Pain that is bilateral - Answer A 58-year-old man comes to your office complaining of
bilateral back pain that now awakens him at night. This has been steadily increasing for the past
2 months. Which one of the following is the most reassuring in this patient with back pain?
A) Age over 50
B) Pain at night
C) Pain lasting more than 1 month or not responding to therapy
D) Pain that is bilateral
Cauda equina - Answer Marion presents to your office with back pain associated with
constipation and urinary retention. Which of the following is most likely?
pain - Answer Louise, a 60-year-old, complains of left knee pain associated with tenderness
throughout, redness, and warmth over the joint. Which of the following is least helpful in
determining if a joint problem is inflammatory?
A) Tenderness
B) Pain
C) Warmth
, A) Articular joint pain
B) Bursitis
C) Muscular injury
D) Nerve damage
Gonococcal arthritis - Answer You are working in a college health clinic and seeing a young
woman with a red, painful, swollen DIP joint on the left index finger. There are also a few
papules, pustules, and vesicles on reddened bases, located on the distal extremities. This would
be consistent with with what?
Delayed menarche - Answer An obese 55-year-old woman went through menarche at age 16
and menopause 2 years ago. She is concerned because an aunt had severe osteoporosis. Which
of the following is a risk factor for osteoporosis?
A) Obesity
B) Late menopause
C) Having an aunt with osteoporosis
D) Delayed menarche
Rheumatoid arthritis - Answer A 38-year-old woman comes to you and has multiple small
joints involved with pain, swelling, and stiffness. Which of the following is the most likely
explanation?
A) Rheumatoid arthritis
B) Septic arthritis
C) Gout
D) Trauma
Temporomandibular joint syndrome - Answer Mrs. Fletcher comes to your office with
unilateral pain during chewing, which is chronic. She does not have facial tenderness or
tenderness of the scalp. What is the most likely cause of her pain?
2-3 weeks - Answer A man's wife is upset because when she hugs him with her hands on his
left shoulder blade, "it feels creepy." This came on gradually after a recent severe left-sided
rotator cuff tear. How long does it usually take to develop muscular atrophy with increased
prominence of the scapular spine following a rotator cuff tear?
