MSK PRACTICE QUESTIONS | COMPLETE STUDY GUIDE, PRACTICE TEST &
ANSWERS 2026/2027
Blunt trauma resulted in soft tissue entrapment of the L long thoracic nerve. Examination
reveals winging of the L scapula with a MMT grade of 2/5. Which of the following would be the
BEST position to place the patient to safely strengthen the muscle affected by the nerve lesion?
a. prone with 90 degrees of shoulder abduction
b. sitting while pushing down on an armchair
c. side lying with affected arm supported
d. standing and facing a wall with the arms extended at shoulder level with the hands against
the wall - correct answer ✔✔c. sidelying with affected arm supported
The long thoracic n. innervates serratus anterior - if lesioned/injuried, it results in a winged
scapula
MOI: blow to thoracic wall when arm is overhead, blow or pressure to posterior triangle of
neck, repetitive traction of the nerve (ex. swimming, baseball), carrying heavy loads for long
periods on shoulder, post-surgical (ex. radial mastectomy)
a. is more for rhomboids
b. is for triceps
c. is serratus and patient has 2/5 strength
d. is also good for serratus but pt has 2/5 strength
A patient is performing toe touching from the long sitting position. The examination technique
will be MOST affected by the tightness of which of the following muscles?
,a. gastroc, soleus, biceps femoris
b. longissimus, biceps femoris, soleus
c. gastroc, biceps femoris, longissimus
d. gastroc, soleus, longissimus - correct answer ✔✔c. gastroc, biceps femoris, longissimus
NOT soleus - soleus is a 1 jt muscle and is least likely to affect toe touching
A PT examines a patient whose chief complaint is elbow pain. Elbow ROM is such that extension
is more limited than flexion. The PT also notes an empty end-feel as the elbow moves into
extension. Given these findings, the PT should do which of the following?
a. treat with small amplitude oscillations performed at hte beginning of the range of joint play
b. treat with large amplitude oscillations performed at the end range of joint play since this a
capsular pattern of restriction
c. perform supination/flexion manipulation of the radial head to help reduce the dislocation
d. avoid any mobilization of the elbow as it is contraindicated in this case - correct answer ✔✔d.
avoid any mobilization of the elbow as it is contraindicated in this case
Empty end feel - NO technique recommended.
a. could help with pain, however do NOT treat if it could hurt the pt or you do not know what is
going on
b. NOT a capsular pattern of restriction
c. incorrect
d. need to know what is going on with the pt before you treat
,An adult patient experienced sudden, sharp calf pain during a tennis match. The patient was
unable to continue and described the sensation as having been shot or stabbed in the calf. This
scenario is MOST likely the result of which of the following?
a. ruptured Baker's cyst
b. acute gastroc strain
c. deep posterior compartment syndrome
d. popliteal artery entrapment - correct answer ✔✔b. acute gastroc strain
a. could happen during a tennis match, but would not feel that way; it could actually help with
moving their knee and the pt could continue paying
b. YES - acute strain, acceleration type injury, could happen during this sport, fits the MOI
c. deep posterior compartment syndrome does not happen suddenly - happens slowly
5 P's of Compartment Syndrome
- pain
- paresthesia
- pallor
- pulselessness
- paralysis
Tests: MRI, CT, US
d. popliteal artery - plantaris, medial head of gastroc, or popliteus could cause claudication pain
and be sites of entrapment, but the pain would stop when they stopped playing tennis; rare -
presents similar to chronic exertional compartment syndrome
Tests: ABI comparing ankle in neutral, forced DF, and forced PF, US, CT, MRI
If peak activity of the plantar flexors is reduced as a result of muscle weakness; according to
Rancho Los Amigos terminology, the phase of the gait cycle that will be most impacted is?
, a. initial contact
b. midstance
c. terminal stance
d. initial swing - correct answer ✔✔c. terminal stance - PUSH off
initial contact and midstance - eccentric dorsiflexors
swing - foot is off the ground
Following 6 weeks of immobilization with the knee set in full extension, a patient has difficulty
initiating flexion. In order to increase knee flexion, open chain exercise could BEST bee used by
emphasizing what?
a. internal femoral rotation with facilitation of the adductor magnus and gracilis
b. external femoral rotation with facilitation of the piriformis and gluteus maximus
c. internal tibial rotation with facilitation of the popliteus and medial hamstring
d. external tibial rotation with facilitation of the biceps femoris and tensor fascia lata - correct
answer ✔✔c. internal tibial rotation with facilitation of the poplites and medial hamstring
Screw-home mechanism
OKC: extend knee = tibia ER; flex knee = tibia IR
CKC: femur rotates on tibia; ext knee = IR of femur; flex knee = ER of femur
A patient was referred to a PT with the diagnosis of boutonniere deformity. The primary cause
of this deformity is which of the following?
ANSWERS 2026/2027
Blunt trauma resulted in soft tissue entrapment of the L long thoracic nerve. Examination
reveals winging of the L scapula with a MMT grade of 2/5. Which of the following would be the
BEST position to place the patient to safely strengthen the muscle affected by the nerve lesion?
a. prone with 90 degrees of shoulder abduction
b. sitting while pushing down on an armchair
c. side lying with affected arm supported
d. standing and facing a wall with the arms extended at shoulder level with the hands against
the wall - correct answer ✔✔c. sidelying with affected arm supported
The long thoracic n. innervates serratus anterior - if lesioned/injuried, it results in a winged
scapula
MOI: blow to thoracic wall when arm is overhead, blow or pressure to posterior triangle of
neck, repetitive traction of the nerve (ex. swimming, baseball), carrying heavy loads for long
periods on shoulder, post-surgical (ex. radial mastectomy)
a. is more for rhomboids
b. is for triceps
c. is serratus and patient has 2/5 strength
d. is also good for serratus but pt has 2/5 strength
A patient is performing toe touching from the long sitting position. The examination technique
will be MOST affected by the tightness of which of the following muscles?
,a. gastroc, soleus, biceps femoris
b. longissimus, biceps femoris, soleus
c. gastroc, biceps femoris, longissimus
d. gastroc, soleus, longissimus - correct answer ✔✔c. gastroc, biceps femoris, longissimus
NOT soleus - soleus is a 1 jt muscle and is least likely to affect toe touching
A PT examines a patient whose chief complaint is elbow pain. Elbow ROM is such that extension
is more limited than flexion. The PT also notes an empty end-feel as the elbow moves into
extension. Given these findings, the PT should do which of the following?
a. treat with small amplitude oscillations performed at hte beginning of the range of joint play
b. treat with large amplitude oscillations performed at the end range of joint play since this a
capsular pattern of restriction
c. perform supination/flexion manipulation of the radial head to help reduce the dislocation
d. avoid any mobilization of the elbow as it is contraindicated in this case - correct answer ✔✔d.
avoid any mobilization of the elbow as it is contraindicated in this case
Empty end feel - NO technique recommended.
a. could help with pain, however do NOT treat if it could hurt the pt or you do not know what is
going on
b. NOT a capsular pattern of restriction
c. incorrect
d. need to know what is going on with the pt before you treat
,An adult patient experienced sudden, sharp calf pain during a tennis match. The patient was
unable to continue and described the sensation as having been shot or stabbed in the calf. This
scenario is MOST likely the result of which of the following?
a. ruptured Baker's cyst
b. acute gastroc strain
c. deep posterior compartment syndrome
d. popliteal artery entrapment - correct answer ✔✔b. acute gastroc strain
a. could happen during a tennis match, but would not feel that way; it could actually help with
moving their knee and the pt could continue paying
b. YES - acute strain, acceleration type injury, could happen during this sport, fits the MOI
c. deep posterior compartment syndrome does not happen suddenly - happens slowly
5 P's of Compartment Syndrome
- pain
- paresthesia
- pallor
- pulselessness
- paralysis
Tests: MRI, CT, US
d. popliteal artery - plantaris, medial head of gastroc, or popliteus could cause claudication pain
and be sites of entrapment, but the pain would stop when they stopped playing tennis; rare -
presents similar to chronic exertional compartment syndrome
Tests: ABI comparing ankle in neutral, forced DF, and forced PF, US, CT, MRI
If peak activity of the plantar flexors is reduced as a result of muscle weakness; according to
Rancho Los Amigos terminology, the phase of the gait cycle that will be most impacted is?
, a. initial contact
b. midstance
c. terminal stance
d. initial swing - correct answer ✔✔c. terminal stance - PUSH off
initial contact and midstance - eccentric dorsiflexors
swing - foot is off the ground
Following 6 weeks of immobilization with the knee set in full extension, a patient has difficulty
initiating flexion. In order to increase knee flexion, open chain exercise could BEST bee used by
emphasizing what?
a. internal femoral rotation with facilitation of the adductor magnus and gracilis
b. external femoral rotation with facilitation of the piriformis and gluteus maximus
c. internal tibial rotation with facilitation of the popliteus and medial hamstring
d. external tibial rotation with facilitation of the biceps femoris and tensor fascia lata - correct
answer ✔✔c. internal tibial rotation with facilitation of the poplites and medial hamstring
Screw-home mechanism
OKC: extend knee = tibia ER; flex knee = tibia IR
CKC: femur rotates on tibia; ext knee = IR of femur; flex knee = ER of femur
A patient was referred to a PT with the diagnosis of boutonniere deformity. The primary cause
of this deformity is which of the following?
