PCE Exam
PCE Written Test Study Practice Questions with
Correct Detailed Answers UPDATED 2025
A patient displays fatiguable weakness with knee flexion. Which myotome represents
this movement?
a) L5
b) S1
c) S2
d) S3 -Correct Answer ✔c) S2
*S2: Hip ext & Knee flex
A positive FABER test may indicate any of the following except:
a) Hip OA
b) Iliopsoas spasm
c) SI joint involvement
d) Glute strain -Correct Answer ✔d) Glute strain
During the stance phase on the right leg, the left hip drops. What best describes this?
a) Right Trendelenburg
b) Left Trendelenburg
c) Unilateral Trendelenburg
d) Bilateral Trendelenburg -Correct Answer ✔a) Right Trendelenburg
Which of the following subjective information best describes a meniscal injury?
a) History of a "snap"
b) History of "crackle"
c) History of "pop"
d) History of "giving way" -Correct Answer ✔d) History of "giving way"
Which positive test would most likely indicate meniscal injury?
a) Lachman
b) Anterior drawer
c) Apley's distraction
d) Apley's compression -Correct Answer ✔d) Apley's compression
Where should you align the axis of the goniometer when measuring knee flexion ROM?
a) Lateral epicondyle of femur
b) Lateral condyle of femur
c) Medial epicondyle of femur
d) Medial condyle of femur -Correct Answer ✔a) Lateral epicondyle of femur
1
What measurement would indicate a short soleus?
Page
a) 20 deg DF with knee straight
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,PCE Exam
b) 20 deg DF with knee bent
c) 10 deg DF with knee straight
d) 10 deg DF with knee bent -Correct Answer ✔d) 10 deg DF with knee bent
Your patient has a sprained anterior talofibular ligament. Which movements would put
this ligament on the most stretch?
a) PF + inversion
b) DF + inversion
c) PF + eversion
d) DF + eversion -Correct Answer ✔a) PF + inversion
A patient has decreased sensation in his right middle finger. Which dermatome best
represents this area?
a) C6
b) C7
c) C8
d) T1 -Correct Answer ✔b) C7
Your patient presents with trouble swallowing. What is this called?
a) Dysarthria
b) Dysphasia
c) Dysphagia
d) Diplopia -Correct Answer ✔c) Dysphagia
Dysphasia is a language disorder
The "5 D's and 3 N's" are indicative of what pathology?
a) CV ligament laxity
b) Cancer
c) Osteoporosis
d) Vertebral artery insufficiency -Correct Answer ✔d) Vertebral artery insufficiency
*5 D's and 3 N's
Dysarthria
Dysphagia
Drop attacks
Dizziness
Diplopia
Nystagmus
Peri-oral Numbness
Nausea
Which is the first movement of upper limb neurodynamic test 1?
a) Move shoulder into abduction
2
b) Fix shoulder girdle into neutral position
Page
c) Move wrist and fingers into full extension
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, PCE Exam
d) Move forearm into supination -Correct Answer ✔b) Fix shoulder girdle into neutral
position
You suspect an injured infraspinatus, which would best test this muscle?
a) Neer
b) Lag sign
c) Belly press
d) Codman's -Correct Answer ✔b) Lag sign
Which best describes the Allen test?
a) 90 elbow flexion, 90 abduction and full ER, contralateral head rotation, palpate radial
artery. Positive indicates pulse disappearance upon breath hold.
b) 90 elbow flexion, 90 abduction and full ER, contralateral head rotation, palpate radial
artery. Positive indicates pulse disappearance upon neck rotation.
c) Ipsilateral head rotation, neck extension, shoulder ER and extension. Positive
indicates pulse disappearance upon breath hold.
d) Ipsilateral head rotation, neck extension, shoulder ER and extension. Positive
indicates pulse disappearance upon neck rotation. -Correct Answer ✔b) 90 elbow
flexion, 90 abduction and full ER, contralateral head rotation, palpate radial artery.
Positive indicates pulse disappearance upon neck rotation.
What is the starting position for a MMT of grade 3 middle trapezius?
a) Prone, shoulder at 90 deg, thumb up
b) Prone, shoulder at 90 deg, thumb down
c) Prone, hand behind back on contralateral buttock with palm up
d) Prone, hand behind back on contralateral buttock with palm down -Correct Answer
✔a) Prone, shoulder at 90 deg, thumb up
What is the starting position for a MMT of grade 3 lower trapezius?
a) Prone, hand behind back on contralateral buttock with palm up
b) Prone, hand behind back on contralateral buttock with palm down
c) Prone, shoulder at 130 deg, thumb up
d) Prone, shoulder at 130 deg, thumb down -Correct Answer ✔c) Prone, shoulder at
130 deg, thumb up
*Rhomboids = Prone, hand behind back on contralateral buttock with palm up
When measuring elbow extension ROM, where should your goniometer be lined up?
a) Moveable arm parallel to humerus towards acromion, axis on lateral epicondyle,
stationary arm parallel to ulna toward ulnar styloid process
b) Moveable arm parallel to humerus towards acromion, axis on lateral epicondyle,
stationary arm parallel to radius toward radial styloid process
c) Stationary arm parallel to humerus towards acromion, axis on lateral epicondyle,
moveable arm parallel to ulna toward ulnar styloid process
3
d) Stationary arm parallel to humerus towards acromion, axis on lateral epicondyle,
Page
moveable arm parallel to radius toward radial styloid process -Correct Answer ✔d)
PCE Exam
PCE Written Test Study Practice Questions with
Correct Detailed Answers UPDATED 2025
A patient displays fatiguable weakness with knee flexion. Which myotome represents
this movement?
a) L5
b) S1
c) S2
d) S3 -Correct Answer ✔c) S2
*S2: Hip ext & Knee flex
A positive FABER test may indicate any of the following except:
a) Hip OA
b) Iliopsoas spasm
c) SI joint involvement
d) Glute strain -Correct Answer ✔d) Glute strain
During the stance phase on the right leg, the left hip drops. What best describes this?
a) Right Trendelenburg
b) Left Trendelenburg
c) Unilateral Trendelenburg
d) Bilateral Trendelenburg -Correct Answer ✔a) Right Trendelenburg
Which of the following subjective information best describes a meniscal injury?
a) History of a "snap"
b) History of "crackle"
c) History of "pop"
d) History of "giving way" -Correct Answer ✔d) History of "giving way"
Which positive test would most likely indicate meniscal injury?
a) Lachman
b) Anterior drawer
c) Apley's distraction
d) Apley's compression -Correct Answer ✔d) Apley's compression
Where should you align the axis of the goniometer when measuring knee flexion ROM?
a) Lateral epicondyle of femur
b) Lateral condyle of femur
c) Medial epicondyle of femur
d) Medial condyle of femur -Correct Answer ✔a) Lateral epicondyle of femur
1
What measurement would indicate a short soleus?
Page
a) 20 deg DF with knee straight
PCE Exam
,PCE Exam
b) 20 deg DF with knee bent
c) 10 deg DF with knee straight
d) 10 deg DF with knee bent -Correct Answer ✔d) 10 deg DF with knee bent
Your patient has a sprained anterior talofibular ligament. Which movements would put
this ligament on the most stretch?
a) PF + inversion
b) DF + inversion
c) PF + eversion
d) DF + eversion -Correct Answer ✔a) PF + inversion
A patient has decreased sensation in his right middle finger. Which dermatome best
represents this area?
a) C6
b) C7
c) C8
d) T1 -Correct Answer ✔b) C7
Your patient presents with trouble swallowing. What is this called?
a) Dysarthria
b) Dysphasia
c) Dysphagia
d) Diplopia -Correct Answer ✔c) Dysphagia
Dysphasia is a language disorder
The "5 D's and 3 N's" are indicative of what pathology?
a) CV ligament laxity
b) Cancer
c) Osteoporosis
d) Vertebral artery insufficiency -Correct Answer ✔d) Vertebral artery insufficiency
*5 D's and 3 N's
Dysarthria
Dysphagia
Drop attacks
Dizziness
Diplopia
Nystagmus
Peri-oral Numbness
Nausea
Which is the first movement of upper limb neurodynamic test 1?
a) Move shoulder into abduction
2
b) Fix shoulder girdle into neutral position
Page
c) Move wrist and fingers into full extension
PCE Exam
, PCE Exam
d) Move forearm into supination -Correct Answer ✔b) Fix shoulder girdle into neutral
position
You suspect an injured infraspinatus, which would best test this muscle?
a) Neer
b) Lag sign
c) Belly press
d) Codman's -Correct Answer ✔b) Lag sign
Which best describes the Allen test?
a) 90 elbow flexion, 90 abduction and full ER, contralateral head rotation, palpate radial
artery. Positive indicates pulse disappearance upon breath hold.
b) 90 elbow flexion, 90 abduction and full ER, contralateral head rotation, palpate radial
artery. Positive indicates pulse disappearance upon neck rotation.
c) Ipsilateral head rotation, neck extension, shoulder ER and extension. Positive
indicates pulse disappearance upon breath hold.
d) Ipsilateral head rotation, neck extension, shoulder ER and extension. Positive
indicates pulse disappearance upon neck rotation. -Correct Answer ✔b) 90 elbow
flexion, 90 abduction and full ER, contralateral head rotation, palpate radial artery.
Positive indicates pulse disappearance upon neck rotation.
What is the starting position for a MMT of grade 3 middle trapezius?
a) Prone, shoulder at 90 deg, thumb up
b) Prone, shoulder at 90 deg, thumb down
c) Prone, hand behind back on contralateral buttock with palm up
d) Prone, hand behind back on contralateral buttock with palm down -Correct Answer
✔a) Prone, shoulder at 90 deg, thumb up
What is the starting position for a MMT of grade 3 lower trapezius?
a) Prone, hand behind back on contralateral buttock with palm up
b) Prone, hand behind back on contralateral buttock with palm down
c) Prone, shoulder at 130 deg, thumb up
d) Prone, shoulder at 130 deg, thumb down -Correct Answer ✔c) Prone, shoulder at
130 deg, thumb up
*Rhomboids = Prone, hand behind back on contralateral buttock with palm up
When measuring elbow extension ROM, where should your goniometer be lined up?
a) Moveable arm parallel to humerus towards acromion, axis on lateral epicondyle,
stationary arm parallel to ulna toward ulnar styloid process
b) Moveable arm parallel to humerus towards acromion, axis on lateral epicondyle,
stationary arm parallel to radius toward radial styloid process
c) Stationary arm parallel to humerus towards acromion, axis on lateral epicondyle,
moveable arm parallel to ulna toward ulnar styloid process
3
d) Stationary arm parallel to humerus towards acromion, axis on lateral epicondyle,
Page
moveable arm parallel to radius toward radial styloid process -Correct Answer ✔d)
PCE Exam
