PTA Final Exam 2025 Questions and
Answers
Physical agents categories - ANSWER✔✔--Thermal agents
-Electromagnetic agents
-Mechanical agents
Thermal agents transfer energy to a pt to increase or decrease... temp - ANSWER✔✔-tissue
Examples of thermal agents - ANSWER✔✔-hot packs, ice packs, ultrasound, whirlpool, and
diathermy
Electromagnetic agents apply energy in the form of ... or ... - ANSWER✔✔-electromagnetic
radiation or electrical current
Examples of electromagnetic agents - ANSWER✔✔-UV radiation, infrared radiation, laser,
diathermy, electrical current
mechanical agents apply force to increase or decrease ... - ANSWER✔✔-Pressure on the body
Examples of mechanical agents - ANSWER✔✔-Water, traction, compression, ultrasound
Effects of physical agents - ANSWER✔✔--reduce inflammation
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
,-accelerate tissue healing
-relieve pain
-alter collagen extensibility
-modify muscle tone
Choosing a physical agent (level of priority) - ANSWER✔✔-1 A. Primary underlying problem
1 B. Problem most likely to respond to treatment
2. Treatments that address more than one problem simultaneously
3. Symptomatic treatment only
Attributes to be considered in the selection of physical agents. - ANSWER✔✔-1. Goals and effects
of treatment
2. Contraindications and precautions
3. Evidence for physical agent use
4. Cost, convenience, and availability
Interventions are generally combined when: - ANSWER✔✔--They have similar effects -Address
different aspects of a common array of symptoms (ex: Rest, Ice, Elevation, Compression)
When are physical agents most commonly used - ANSWER✔✔-during the initial rehabilitation
sessions
In the US, chronic pain is more expensive to care for than... - ANSWER✔✔-Diabetes,
cardiovascular disease, and cancer
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
, Pain is defined as... - ANSWER✔✔-Unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with
tissue damage
Is pain conscious or unconscious - ANSWER✔✔-Conscious (produced and perceived by the brain)
Nociception - ANSWER✔✔-neural process of encoding noxious stimuli
Noxious stimuli - ANSWER✔✔-mechanical, thermal, chemical
Nociception is modulated by the... - ANSWER✔✔-Nervous system
Most nociception never results in... - ANSWER✔✔-Consciously perceived pain
Neuropathy - ANSWER✔✔-A disturbance of function or pathological change in a nerve
Causes of neuropathy - ANSWER✔✔--Medical
-Mechanical
-Idiopathic (cause is unknown)
Nociplasticity - ANSWER✔✔-The ability of the nervous and immune systems to undergo
functional and structural changes that alter nociceptive processing.
Nociceptive system is composed of... - ANSWER✔✔-Peripheral and central afferent neurons, and
immune cells
Nociceptive system is responsible for... - ANSWER✔✔-transmitting and processing nociceptive
input
Nociceptors - ANSWER✔✔-Primary afferent neurons that transmit noxious stimuli
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
Answers
Physical agents categories - ANSWER✔✔--Thermal agents
-Electromagnetic agents
-Mechanical agents
Thermal agents transfer energy to a pt to increase or decrease... temp - ANSWER✔✔-tissue
Examples of thermal agents - ANSWER✔✔-hot packs, ice packs, ultrasound, whirlpool, and
diathermy
Electromagnetic agents apply energy in the form of ... or ... - ANSWER✔✔-electromagnetic
radiation or electrical current
Examples of electromagnetic agents - ANSWER✔✔-UV radiation, infrared radiation, laser,
diathermy, electrical current
mechanical agents apply force to increase or decrease ... - ANSWER✔✔-Pressure on the body
Examples of mechanical agents - ANSWER✔✔-Water, traction, compression, ultrasound
Effects of physical agents - ANSWER✔✔--reduce inflammation
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
,-accelerate tissue healing
-relieve pain
-alter collagen extensibility
-modify muscle tone
Choosing a physical agent (level of priority) - ANSWER✔✔-1 A. Primary underlying problem
1 B. Problem most likely to respond to treatment
2. Treatments that address more than one problem simultaneously
3. Symptomatic treatment only
Attributes to be considered in the selection of physical agents. - ANSWER✔✔-1. Goals and effects
of treatment
2. Contraindications and precautions
3. Evidence for physical agent use
4. Cost, convenience, and availability
Interventions are generally combined when: - ANSWER✔✔--They have similar effects -Address
different aspects of a common array of symptoms (ex: Rest, Ice, Elevation, Compression)
When are physical agents most commonly used - ANSWER✔✔-during the initial rehabilitation
sessions
In the US, chronic pain is more expensive to care for than... - ANSWER✔✔-Diabetes,
cardiovascular disease, and cancer
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
, Pain is defined as... - ANSWER✔✔-Unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with
tissue damage
Is pain conscious or unconscious - ANSWER✔✔-Conscious (produced and perceived by the brain)
Nociception - ANSWER✔✔-neural process of encoding noxious stimuli
Noxious stimuli - ANSWER✔✔-mechanical, thermal, chemical
Nociception is modulated by the... - ANSWER✔✔-Nervous system
Most nociception never results in... - ANSWER✔✔-Consciously perceived pain
Neuropathy - ANSWER✔✔-A disturbance of function or pathological change in a nerve
Causes of neuropathy - ANSWER✔✔--Medical
-Mechanical
-Idiopathic (cause is unknown)
Nociplasticity - ANSWER✔✔-The ability of the nervous and immune systems to undergo
functional and structural changes that alter nociceptive processing.
Nociceptive system is composed of... - ANSWER✔✔-Peripheral and central afferent neurons, and
immune cells
Nociceptive system is responsible for... - ANSWER✔✔-transmitting and processing nociceptive
input
Nociceptors - ANSWER✔✔-Primary afferent neurons that transmit noxious stimuli
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
