NBCE PT Boards Exam Prep Test Bank 1
500 Practice Questions with Answers & Clear Explanations | Latest
2026-2027
SECTION 1: THERAPEUTIC EXERCISE & REHABILITATION
Questions 1-80
Q1. A patient with chronic ankle instability struggles with the Star Excursion
Balance Test, specifically in the anteromedial reach direction. What's the BEST
starting exercise?
A) Standing on one leg on a firm surface with eyes open
B) Standing on one leg on a foam pad with eyes closed
C) Reaching forward with the uninjured leg
D) Doing squats on a BOSU ball with both feet
Answer: A) Standing on one leg on a firm surface with eyes open
Rationale: When someone has ankle instability, you want to start with something
simple and stable. A firm surface with eyes open gives them a chance to develop
basic balance control before you make things harder. Jumping straight to foam
pads or closing their eyes would be too challenging and might set them up for
failure.
Q2. How do you know when a patient is ready to move from isometric to
concentric-eccentric rotator cuff exercises?
A) They can do a pain-free isometric hold at 50% of their maximum
B) They have full pain-free passive motion
C) They can hold their arm out to the side at 90° for 30 seconds without cheating
D) The drop arm test is negative
Answer: C) They can hold their arm out to the side at 90° for 30 seconds without
cheating
,Rationale: Before you ask someone to start moving their arm against resistance,
they need to show they can hold a position steadily. That's what this test checks—
it tells you their muscles have enough endurance to handle the demands of
dynamic exercise. A negative drop arm test just rules out a complete tear; it
doesn't tell you if they're strong enough to progress.
Q3. During a single-leg squat, a patient's knee caves inward and their thigh
rotates inward. Which muscle is probably not firing properly?
A) Gluteus maximus
B) Gluteus medius
C) Tensor fasciae latae
D) Quadratus lumborum
Answer: B) Gluteus medius
Rationale: When the knee collapses inward during a squat, it's usually because
the gluteus medius isn't doing its job. This muscle is supposed to keep your thigh
from rotating inward and your knee from caving. The TFL (tensor fasciae latae) is
often overactive in this pattern—it's tight, not weak.
Q4. A patient can't maintain a neutral spine during a quadruped arm lift (bird
dog). What's the BEST cue to give them?
A) "Tuck your tailbone under"
B) "Arch your back more"
C) "Brace your core like you're about to get punched"
D) "Relax your stomach completely"
Answer: C) "Brace your core like you're about to get punched"
Rationale: Bracing is the most effective way to activate the deep core muscles
and maintain a neutral spine. Telling someone to tuck their tailbone pushes them
into a flexed position, which is the opposite of what you want. And relaxing their
stomach removes all the support their core is supposed to provide.
,Q5. A patient has scapular winging (their shoulder blade sticks out). Which
exercise is BEST for strengthening the muscle that fixes this?
A) Seated rows with elbows close to the body
B) Push-up plus at the end of the movement
C) Prone IYT raises
D) Standing external rotation with a band
Answer: B) Push-up plus at the end of the movement
Rationale: The serratus anterior is the muscle that keeps your shoulder blade flat
against your ribcage, and the push-up plus specifically targets it. Rows hit the
rhomboids more, and IYT raises work the lower and middle trapezius—both
important, but not the primary fix for winging.
Q6. A patient with jumper's knee has pain doing single-leg decline squats. What
exercise should you start with instead?
A) Full-depth double-leg squats on flat ground
B) Isometric quad contractions with the knee bent 60°
C) Box jumps (plyometrics)
D) Single-leg leg press at 90°
Answer: B) Isometric quad contractions with the knee bent 60°
Rationale: Isometric exercises actually help reduce pain in tendinopathy because
they strengthen the muscle without putting strain on the tendon. Decline squats
put the tendon on a stretch, which is too aggressive early on. Plyometrics would
be way too much stress.
Q7. A patient can't do a knee lift in the Sahrmann progression without arching
their lower back. What should you try next?
A) Put a blood pressure cuff under their lower back for feedback
B) Have them do heel slides instead
C) Move to the next stage (leg lowering)
D) Keep practicing stage 1 for another 2 weeks
, Answer: A) Put a blood pressure cuff under their lower back for feedback
Rationale: The blood pressure cuff gives immediate feedback—they can see when
they lose their neutral position. This helps them learn to control their core
without relying on their back. Regressing to stage 1 might be necessary later, but
adding feedback is the first step.
Q8. A patient with rotator cuff tendinopathy has pain when they lift their arm
between 70° and 120°. Which exercise should you start with for strengthening?
A) Empty can with 5-pound weights
B) Side-lying external rotation with arm at the side
C) Prone horizontal abduction with thumb pointing up
D) Overhead press with 10-pound weights
Answer: B) Side-lying external rotation with arm at the side
Rationale: Keeping the arm down by the side minimizes pressure under the
acromion. The empty can and overhead press are both positions that can pinch
the rotator cuff tendon, which would aggravate their impingement.
Q9. A patient is 3 months out from ankle surgery and is still partial weight-
bearing. When are they ready to start full weight-bearing?
A) When swelling is still visible around the ankle
B) When they can do 10 heel raises with no increase in pain
C) When they have 4/10 pain during single-leg stance
D) When the anterior drawer test is positive
Answer: B) When they can do 10 heel raises with no increase in pain
Rationale: Heel raises test both strength and the ability to tolerate load. If they
can do 10 without pain, their ankle is ready for more demand. Visible swelling or
pain with single-leg stance is a sign they're not ready yet.
500 Practice Questions with Answers & Clear Explanations | Latest
2026-2027
SECTION 1: THERAPEUTIC EXERCISE & REHABILITATION
Questions 1-80
Q1. A patient with chronic ankle instability struggles with the Star Excursion
Balance Test, specifically in the anteromedial reach direction. What's the BEST
starting exercise?
A) Standing on one leg on a firm surface with eyes open
B) Standing on one leg on a foam pad with eyes closed
C) Reaching forward with the uninjured leg
D) Doing squats on a BOSU ball with both feet
Answer: A) Standing on one leg on a firm surface with eyes open
Rationale: When someone has ankle instability, you want to start with something
simple and stable. A firm surface with eyes open gives them a chance to develop
basic balance control before you make things harder. Jumping straight to foam
pads or closing their eyes would be too challenging and might set them up for
failure.
Q2. How do you know when a patient is ready to move from isometric to
concentric-eccentric rotator cuff exercises?
A) They can do a pain-free isometric hold at 50% of their maximum
B) They have full pain-free passive motion
C) They can hold their arm out to the side at 90° for 30 seconds without cheating
D) The drop arm test is negative
Answer: C) They can hold their arm out to the side at 90° for 30 seconds without
cheating
,Rationale: Before you ask someone to start moving their arm against resistance,
they need to show they can hold a position steadily. That's what this test checks—
it tells you their muscles have enough endurance to handle the demands of
dynamic exercise. A negative drop arm test just rules out a complete tear; it
doesn't tell you if they're strong enough to progress.
Q3. During a single-leg squat, a patient's knee caves inward and their thigh
rotates inward. Which muscle is probably not firing properly?
A) Gluteus maximus
B) Gluteus medius
C) Tensor fasciae latae
D) Quadratus lumborum
Answer: B) Gluteus medius
Rationale: When the knee collapses inward during a squat, it's usually because
the gluteus medius isn't doing its job. This muscle is supposed to keep your thigh
from rotating inward and your knee from caving. The TFL (tensor fasciae latae) is
often overactive in this pattern—it's tight, not weak.
Q4. A patient can't maintain a neutral spine during a quadruped arm lift (bird
dog). What's the BEST cue to give them?
A) "Tuck your tailbone under"
B) "Arch your back more"
C) "Brace your core like you're about to get punched"
D) "Relax your stomach completely"
Answer: C) "Brace your core like you're about to get punched"
Rationale: Bracing is the most effective way to activate the deep core muscles
and maintain a neutral spine. Telling someone to tuck their tailbone pushes them
into a flexed position, which is the opposite of what you want. And relaxing their
stomach removes all the support their core is supposed to provide.
,Q5. A patient has scapular winging (their shoulder blade sticks out). Which
exercise is BEST for strengthening the muscle that fixes this?
A) Seated rows with elbows close to the body
B) Push-up plus at the end of the movement
C) Prone IYT raises
D) Standing external rotation with a band
Answer: B) Push-up plus at the end of the movement
Rationale: The serratus anterior is the muscle that keeps your shoulder blade flat
against your ribcage, and the push-up plus specifically targets it. Rows hit the
rhomboids more, and IYT raises work the lower and middle trapezius—both
important, but not the primary fix for winging.
Q6. A patient with jumper's knee has pain doing single-leg decline squats. What
exercise should you start with instead?
A) Full-depth double-leg squats on flat ground
B) Isometric quad contractions with the knee bent 60°
C) Box jumps (plyometrics)
D) Single-leg leg press at 90°
Answer: B) Isometric quad contractions with the knee bent 60°
Rationale: Isometric exercises actually help reduce pain in tendinopathy because
they strengthen the muscle without putting strain on the tendon. Decline squats
put the tendon on a stretch, which is too aggressive early on. Plyometrics would
be way too much stress.
Q7. A patient can't do a knee lift in the Sahrmann progression without arching
their lower back. What should you try next?
A) Put a blood pressure cuff under their lower back for feedback
B) Have them do heel slides instead
C) Move to the next stage (leg lowering)
D) Keep practicing stage 1 for another 2 weeks
, Answer: A) Put a blood pressure cuff under their lower back for feedback
Rationale: The blood pressure cuff gives immediate feedback—they can see when
they lose their neutral position. This helps them learn to control their core
without relying on their back. Regressing to stage 1 might be necessary later, but
adding feedback is the first step.
Q8. A patient with rotator cuff tendinopathy has pain when they lift their arm
between 70° and 120°. Which exercise should you start with for strengthening?
A) Empty can with 5-pound weights
B) Side-lying external rotation with arm at the side
C) Prone horizontal abduction with thumb pointing up
D) Overhead press with 10-pound weights
Answer: B) Side-lying external rotation with arm at the side
Rationale: Keeping the arm down by the side minimizes pressure under the
acromion. The empty can and overhead press are both positions that can pinch
the rotator cuff tendon, which would aggravate their impingement.
Q9. A patient is 3 months out from ankle surgery and is still partial weight-
bearing. When are they ready to start full weight-bearing?
A) When swelling is still visible around the ankle
B) When they can do 10 heel raises with no increase in pain
C) When they have 4/10 pain during single-leg stance
D) When the anterior drawer test is positive
Answer: B) When they can do 10 heel raises with no increase in pain
Rationale: Heel raises test both strength and the ability to tolerate load. If they
can do 10 without pain, their ankle is ready for more demand. Visible swelling or
pain with single-leg stance is a sign they're not ready yet.
