FSBPT Exam Questions – NPTE Physical Therapy Practice Test (Clinical Reasoning & Answer
Explanations)
In order for a group of PTs and PTAs to conduct a study they are required to have approval of
the hospital Institutional Review Board. What is the PRIMARY purpose of this committee?
1. Protect the hospital from unnecessary ligation
2. Ensure the rights of research subjects are protected
3. Examine the design of the research project
4. Assess the financial ramification of the research project - ANS ✔✔2
A patient with cardiovascular pathology is placed on a diuretic. What type of laboratory test
should be the MOST essential for the PTA to monitor based on the patient's prescribed
medication?
1. Cardiac biomarkers
2. Prothrombin time
3. Serum electrolytes
4. Serum cholesterol - ANS ✔✔3
A PTA prepares to measure medial rotation of a patient's shoulder with a goniometer. Which of
the following structures should the assistant use to align the fulcrum?
1. On the lateral midline of the humerus using the lateral epicondyle as a reference
2. Perpendicular to the floor
3. Along the midaxillary line of the thorax
4. Over the olecranon process - ANS ✔✔4
A PTA reviews the medical record of a patient with an arthritic condition. Which piece of
information would be the MOST useful to assist in the definitive diagnosis of rheumatoid
arthritis?
,1. Pain profile
2. Joint symptoms
3. Blood tests
4. Age of onset - ANS ✔✔3
A PTA reads in the medical record that a patient was recently prescribed a thrombolytic agent.
Which condition would be considered a contraindication to this type of pharmacological agent?
1. Myocardial infarction
2. Hemorrhagic stroke
3. Pulmonary embolism
4. Venous thrombosis - ANS ✔✔2
A PTA reads a recent entry in a patient's medical record that indicates aspiration was performed
in the elbow region. This procedure is MOST commonly associated with which of the following
conditions?
1. Dorsal ganglion cyst
2. Lateral epicondylitis
3. Medial epicondylitis
4. Olecranon bursitis - ANS ✔✔4
A PTA monitors a patient with a C6 SCI positioned on a tilt table. After elevating the tilt table to
30 degrees, the patient reports nausea and dizziness. The assistant measures the patient's BP as
70/35 mmHg. The patient's signs and symptoms are MOST indicative of which of the following
conditions?
1. Spinal shock
2. Postural hypertension
3. Autonomic dysreflexia
4. Orthostatic hypotension - ANS ✔✔4
,A PTA prepares to treat a patient with continuous ultrasound. Which general rule BEST
determines the length of treatment when using ultrasound?
1. Two minutes for an area that is two times the size of the transducer face
2. Five minutes for an area that is two times the size of the transducer face
3. Five minutes is the maximum treatment time regardless of the treatment area
4. Ten minutes is the maximum treatment time regardless of the treatment area - ANS ✔✔2
A patient successfully completes 10 anterior lunges. The PTA would like to modify the activity to
maximally challenge the patient in the sagittal plane. Which of the following modifications
would be the MOST appropriate to accomplish this goal?
1. Anterior lunge with concurrent bilateral elbow flexion to 45 degrees with five pound weights
2. Anterior ling with concurrent bilateral shoulder flexion to 90 degrees with five pound weights
3. Anterior lunge with concurrent unilateral shoulder flexion to 90 degrees with a five pound
weight
4. Anterior lunge with concurrent bilateral shoulder ABD to 45 degrees with five pound weights.
- ANS ✔✔2
A patient at a PT gym suddenly grasps their throat and begins to cough. The PTA, recognizing
the signs of an airway obstruction, should take which of the following actions?
1. Attempt to ventilate
2. Administer abdominal thrusts
3. Perform a quick finger sweep of the mouth
4. Continue to observe the patient, but do not interfere - ANS ✔✔4
A PTA is performing gait training on a patient who has a transtibial amputation. After 15 minutes
of training, the patellar tendon-bearing prosthesis is removed for skin inspection. Redness is
noted on multiple areas of the residual limb. Which area of redness should be the GREATEST
concern to the assistant?
, 1. Patellar tendon
2. Fibular shaft
3. Gastrocnemius muscle
4. Distal anterior tibia - ANS ✔✔4
A PTA prepares to work with a 2 month old infant diagnosed with osteogenesis imperfecta.
Which of the following outcomes should the assistant recognize as the PRIMARY goal of therapy
for this patient?
1. Improve muscle strength and diminish tone
2. Facilitate protected weight bearing
3. Promote safe handling and positioning
4. Diminish pulmonary secretions - ANS ✔✔3
A PTA utilizes the Six- Minute Walk Test as a means of quantifying endurance for a patient who
has a chronic pulmonary disease. What variable would be the MOST appropriate for the
assistant to measure when determining the patient's endurance level with this objective test?
1. Perceived exertion
2. Heart rate response
3. Elapsed time
4. Distance walked - ANS ✔✔4
A PTA treats a patient diagnosed with plantar fasciitis. During the treatment session, the
assistant attempts to strengthen the muscles that support the medial longitudinal arch. Which
of the following muscles would be MOST important to emphasize in the strengthening
program?
1. Gastrocnemius, soleus, and plantaris
2. Fibularis (peroneus) longus and brevis
3. Tibialis anterior and extensor hallucis longus
Explanations)
In order for a group of PTs and PTAs to conduct a study they are required to have approval of
the hospital Institutional Review Board. What is the PRIMARY purpose of this committee?
1. Protect the hospital from unnecessary ligation
2. Ensure the rights of research subjects are protected
3. Examine the design of the research project
4. Assess the financial ramification of the research project - ANS ✔✔2
A patient with cardiovascular pathology is placed on a diuretic. What type of laboratory test
should be the MOST essential for the PTA to monitor based on the patient's prescribed
medication?
1. Cardiac biomarkers
2. Prothrombin time
3. Serum electrolytes
4. Serum cholesterol - ANS ✔✔3
A PTA prepares to measure medial rotation of a patient's shoulder with a goniometer. Which of
the following structures should the assistant use to align the fulcrum?
1. On the lateral midline of the humerus using the lateral epicondyle as a reference
2. Perpendicular to the floor
3. Along the midaxillary line of the thorax
4. Over the olecranon process - ANS ✔✔4
A PTA reviews the medical record of a patient with an arthritic condition. Which piece of
information would be the MOST useful to assist in the definitive diagnosis of rheumatoid
arthritis?
,1. Pain profile
2. Joint symptoms
3. Blood tests
4. Age of onset - ANS ✔✔3
A PTA reads in the medical record that a patient was recently prescribed a thrombolytic agent.
Which condition would be considered a contraindication to this type of pharmacological agent?
1. Myocardial infarction
2. Hemorrhagic stroke
3. Pulmonary embolism
4. Venous thrombosis - ANS ✔✔2
A PTA reads a recent entry in a patient's medical record that indicates aspiration was performed
in the elbow region. This procedure is MOST commonly associated with which of the following
conditions?
1. Dorsal ganglion cyst
2. Lateral epicondylitis
3. Medial epicondylitis
4. Olecranon bursitis - ANS ✔✔4
A PTA monitors a patient with a C6 SCI positioned on a tilt table. After elevating the tilt table to
30 degrees, the patient reports nausea and dizziness. The assistant measures the patient's BP as
70/35 mmHg. The patient's signs and symptoms are MOST indicative of which of the following
conditions?
1. Spinal shock
2. Postural hypertension
3. Autonomic dysreflexia
4. Orthostatic hypotension - ANS ✔✔4
,A PTA prepares to treat a patient with continuous ultrasound. Which general rule BEST
determines the length of treatment when using ultrasound?
1. Two minutes for an area that is two times the size of the transducer face
2. Five minutes for an area that is two times the size of the transducer face
3. Five minutes is the maximum treatment time regardless of the treatment area
4. Ten minutes is the maximum treatment time regardless of the treatment area - ANS ✔✔2
A patient successfully completes 10 anterior lunges. The PTA would like to modify the activity to
maximally challenge the patient in the sagittal plane. Which of the following modifications
would be the MOST appropriate to accomplish this goal?
1. Anterior lunge with concurrent bilateral elbow flexion to 45 degrees with five pound weights
2. Anterior ling with concurrent bilateral shoulder flexion to 90 degrees with five pound weights
3. Anterior lunge with concurrent unilateral shoulder flexion to 90 degrees with a five pound
weight
4. Anterior lunge with concurrent bilateral shoulder ABD to 45 degrees with five pound weights.
- ANS ✔✔2
A patient at a PT gym suddenly grasps their throat and begins to cough. The PTA, recognizing
the signs of an airway obstruction, should take which of the following actions?
1. Attempt to ventilate
2. Administer abdominal thrusts
3. Perform a quick finger sweep of the mouth
4. Continue to observe the patient, but do not interfere - ANS ✔✔4
A PTA is performing gait training on a patient who has a transtibial amputation. After 15 minutes
of training, the patellar tendon-bearing prosthesis is removed for skin inspection. Redness is
noted on multiple areas of the residual limb. Which area of redness should be the GREATEST
concern to the assistant?
, 1. Patellar tendon
2. Fibular shaft
3. Gastrocnemius muscle
4. Distal anterior tibia - ANS ✔✔4
A PTA prepares to work with a 2 month old infant diagnosed with osteogenesis imperfecta.
Which of the following outcomes should the assistant recognize as the PRIMARY goal of therapy
for this patient?
1. Improve muscle strength and diminish tone
2. Facilitate protected weight bearing
3. Promote safe handling and positioning
4. Diminish pulmonary secretions - ANS ✔✔3
A PTA utilizes the Six- Minute Walk Test as a means of quantifying endurance for a patient who
has a chronic pulmonary disease. What variable would be the MOST appropriate for the
assistant to measure when determining the patient's endurance level with this objective test?
1. Perceived exertion
2. Heart rate response
3. Elapsed time
4. Distance walked - ANS ✔✔4
A PTA treats a patient diagnosed with plantar fasciitis. During the treatment session, the
assistant attempts to strengthen the muscles that support the medial longitudinal arch. Which
of the following muscles would be MOST important to emphasize in the strengthening
program?
1. Gastrocnemius, soleus, and plantaris
2. Fibularis (peroneus) longus and brevis
3. Tibialis anterior and extensor hallucis longus
