PEAT 2025 Section 1 – NPTE Practice Exam Study Guide (Physical Therapy Review, Clinical
Reasoning & Answer Explanations)
When the test depicted in the photograph is done bilaterally, there is a normal response on the
right and diminished on the left. This result is MOST suggestive of pathology in which of these
structures?
1. L5 nerve root
2. Dorsal column
3. Lateral corticospinal tract
4. L4 nerve root - ✔✔4
A patient has right flank pain after sustaining a blow to the back during a sporting event. The
spine is pain free upon palpation. The paraspinal muscles are free of muscle spasms and
tenderness. Percussion of the right costovertebral angle reproduces the pain and causes the
pain to radiate to the right groin area. Which of the following structures is MOST likely involved?
1. Bladder
2. Appendix
3. Spleen
4. Kidney - ✔✔4
A patient who has a transfemoral amputation reports buckling of the prosthetic knee while
walking. Which of the following conditions is the MOST likely cause?
1. Knee with axis anterior to the trochanteric-knee-ankle line
2. Prosthesis that is too long
3. Mechanical knee with too much friction
4. Socket with a medial wall that is too high - ✔✔1
A patient has polyuria, polydipsia, and a fasting plasma glucose level of 152 mg/dL (8.4
mmol/L). The findings are MOST consistent with which of the following conditions?
,1. Primary adrenal insufficiency
2. Impaired glucose tolerance
3. Cushing syndrome
4. Diabetes mellitus - ✔✔4
A patient has a right shoulder that is higher than the left, and a left iliac crest that is higher than
the right. The patient also exhibits a right thoracic rib hump with forward bending of the trunk.
Which of the following options BEST describes these findings?
1. Left thoracic functional scoliosis
2. Right thoracic functional scoliosis
3. Left thoracic structural scoliosis
4. Right thoracic structural scoliosis - ✔✔4
A patient who has an acute ankle sprain is being instructed in non-weight-bearing gait with
crutches prior to discharge from the emergency department. Which of the following
approaches by the physical therapist would MOST effectively facilitate learning?
1. Give verbal instructions in how to use the crutches.
2. Provide photographs of someone using crutches.
3. Have the patient verbally repeat the instructions and demonstrate use of the crutches.
4. Demonstrate use of the crutches and provide the patient with written instructions. - ✔✔3
patient's skin distal to the mid-calf is darker than the skin proximal to the mid-calf. Which of the
following examination techniques would MOST efficiently screen for the expected dysfunction?
1. Capillary refill time
2. Venous filling time
3. Dorsalis pedis pulse
4. Sensory filament testing - ✔✔2
, A woman in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy is performing pelvic floor exercises in supine
position. She reports dizziness, nausea, and shortness of breath. Which of the following effects
BEST describes the contribution of supine positioning to the patient's symptoms?
1. Increase in inferior vena cava pressure and increase in venous return and cardiac output
2. Decrease in inferior vena cava pressure and increase in venous return and cardiac output
3. Increase in inferior vena cava pressure, leading to a decrease in venous return and cardiac
output
4. Decrease in inferior vena cava pressure, leading to a decrease in venous return and cardiac
output - ✔✔3
A patient who has gastroesophageal reflux disease is MOST likely to benefit from education to
reduce consumption of which of the following types of food?
1. Coffee, fatty foods
2. Coffee, dairy foods
3. High-sugar foods, fatty foods
4. High-sugar foods, dairy foods - ✔✔1
A family physician refers a patient to physical therapy for treatment of chronic low back pain.
The patient is currently receiving treatment from a massage therapist for the same problem.
Which of the following actions is MOST appropriate for the physical therapist?
1. Ask the patient to discontinue the massage therapy.
2. Treat the patient on days the patient is not seen by the massage therapist.
3. Gain permission from the patient to contact the massage therapist to discuss the plan of care.
4. Discontinue the patient's physical therapy. - ✔✔3
A patient sustained a nerve injury just below the inguinal ligament. Which of the following gait
deviations is the patient MOST likely to demonstrate?
1. Increased posterior lean of the trunk in midstance
2. Increased medial (internal) rotation of the thigh during midswing
Reasoning & Answer Explanations)
When the test depicted in the photograph is done bilaterally, there is a normal response on the
right and diminished on the left. This result is MOST suggestive of pathology in which of these
structures?
1. L5 nerve root
2. Dorsal column
3. Lateral corticospinal tract
4. L4 nerve root - ✔✔4
A patient has right flank pain after sustaining a blow to the back during a sporting event. The
spine is pain free upon palpation. The paraspinal muscles are free of muscle spasms and
tenderness. Percussion of the right costovertebral angle reproduces the pain and causes the
pain to radiate to the right groin area. Which of the following structures is MOST likely involved?
1. Bladder
2. Appendix
3. Spleen
4. Kidney - ✔✔4
A patient who has a transfemoral amputation reports buckling of the prosthetic knee while
walking. Which of the following conditions is the MOST likely cause?
1. Knee with axis anterior to the trochanteric-knee-ankle line
2. Prosthesis that is too long
3. Mechanical knee with too much friction
4. Socket with a medial wall that is too high - ✔✔1
A patient has polyuria, polydipsia, and a fasting plasma glucose level of 152 mg/dL (8.4
mmol/L). The findings are MOST consistent with which of the following conditions?
,1. Primary adrenal insufficiency
2. Impaired glucose tolerance
3. Cushing syndrome
4. Diabetes mellitus - ✔✔4
A patient has a right shoulder that is higher than the left, and a left iliac crest that is higher than
the right. The patient also exhibits a right thoracic rib hump with forward bending of the trunk.
Which of the following options BEST describes these findings?
1. Left thoracic functional scoliosis
2. Right thoracic functional scoliosis
3. Left thoracic structural scoliosis
4. Right thoracic structural scoliosis - ✔✔4
A patient who has an acute ankle sprain is being instructed in non-weight-bearing gait with
crutches prior to discharge from the emergency department. Which of the following
approaches by the physical therapist would MOST effectively facilitate learning?
1. Give verbal instructions in how to use the crutches.
2. Provide photographs of someone using crutches.
3. Have the patient verbally repeat the instructions and demonstrate use of the crutches.
4. Demonstrate use of the crutches and provide the patient with written instructions. - ✔✔3
patient's skin distal to the mid-calf is darker than the skin proximal to the mid-calf. Which of the
following examination techniques would MOST efficiently screen for the expected dysfunction?
1. Capillary refill time
2. Venous filling time
3. Dorsalis pedis pulse
4. Sensory filament testing - ✔✔2
, A woman in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy is performing pelvic floor exercises in supine
position. She reports dizziness, nausea, and shortness of breath. Which of the following effects
BEST describes the contribution of supine positioning to the patient's symptoms?
1. Increase in inferior vena cava pressure and increase in venous return and cardiac output
2. Decrease in inferior vena cava pressure and increase in venous return and cardiac output
3. Increase in inferior vena cava pressure, leading to a decrease in venous return and cardiac
output
4. Decrease in inferior vena cava pressure, leading to a decrease in venous return and cardiac
output - ✔✔3
A patient who has gastroesophageal reflux disease is MOST likely to benefit from education to
reduce consumption of which of the following types of food?
1. Coffee, fatty foods
2. Coffee, dairy foods
3. High-sugar foods, fatty foods
4. High-sugar foods, dairy foods - ✔✔1
A family physician refers a patient to physical therapy for treatment of chronic low back pain.
The patient is currently receiving treatment from a massage therapist for the same problem.
Which of the following actions is MOST appropriate for the physical therapist?
1. Ask the patient to discontinue the massage therapy.
2. Treat the patient on days the patient is not seen by the massage therapist.
3. Gain permission from the patient to contact the massage therapist to discuss the plan of care.
4. Discontinue the patient's physical therapy. - ✔✔3
A patient sustained a nerve injury just below the inguinal ligament. Which of the following gait
deviations is the patient MOST likely to demonstrate?
1. Increased posterior lean of the trunk in midstance
2. Increased medial (internal) rotation of the thigh during midswing
