FSBPT EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS ALL CORRECT
A patient's history includes a lower motor neuron lesion. Which of the following should
the physical therapist assistant expect to observe while treating this patient?
1. Clonus
2. Atrophy
3. Hyperreflexia
4. Spasticity - Answer-2
Which of the following tools is MOST appropriate for assessment of pain in a patient
with multiple injuries?
1. Standardized pain questionnaire
2. Numeric pain rating
3. Visual analog scale
4. Anatomic pain drawing - Answer-4
When performing mechanical cervical traction to increase the intervertebral space at the
C5-C7 levels, which of the following angles of cervical flexion would be MOST
appropriate?
1. 0° to 5°
2. 10° to 15°
3. 25° to 30°
4. 40° to 45° - Answer-3
A patient has weakness during shoulder abduction and reports numbness and tingling
in the anterolateral shoulder and upper extremity. Which of the following nerve roots is
MOST likely impaired?
1. C5
2. C6
3. C7
4. C8 - Answer-1
A patient has weakness at the extensor hallucis longus. What nerve root is impaired?
1. L2
2. L3
3. L4
4. L5 - Answer-4
What myotome level is best testing with heel walking?
,1. L1
2. L2
3. L3
4. L4 - Answer-4
What myotome is the thumb and index finger/ wrist extension?
1. C5
2. C6
3. C7
4. C8 - Answer-2
What myotome weakness is associated with shoulder ABD?
1. C2
2. C3
3. C4
4. C5 - Answer-4
What myotome is being tested at the lateral and plantar aspect of the foot?
1. L3
2. L4
3. S1
4. L5 - Answer-3
What myotome is tested with shoulder elevation?
1. C2
2. C4
3. C3
4. C5 - Answer-2
What nerve root would lead to weakness of the hip adductors?
1. L2
2. L3
3. L4
4. L5 - Answer-1
A physical therapist assistant is reviewing postoperative precautions with a patient who
had a total hip arthroplasty with an anterolateral surgical approach. Which of the
following instructions is MOST appropriate for the patient?
1. When walking backward, lead with the involved leg.
2. When walking, step fully through with the uninvolved leg.
3. Avoid activities that involve standing on the operated leg and rotating toward the
involved side.
4. Avoid activities that involve standing on the operated leg and rotating away from the
involved side. - Answer-4
,Which of the following characteristics MOST likely would be associated with the
presence of a superficial partial-thickness burn?
1. Extreme pain
2. Eschar
3. Marked edema
4. Dry surface - Answer-1
Which of the following characteristics would be associated with a full thickness burn?
1. Extreme pain
2. Eschar
3. Marked edema
4. Dry surface - Answer-2
Which of the following characteristics would be associated with a deep-partial thickness
burn?
1. Extreme pain
2. Eschar
3. Marked edema
4. Dry surface - Answer-3
Which of the following characteristics would be associated with dry surface?
1. Extreme pain
2. Eschar
3. Marked edema
4. Dry surface - Answer-4
A patient has difficulty maintaining quiet standing balance and demonstrates a loss of
balance during small perturbations in a forward direction. Which of the following
muscles should be strengthened?
1. Quadriceps
2. Tibialis anterior
3. Abdominals
4. Gastrocnemius - Answer-4
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 - Answer-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 - Answer-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 - Answer-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 - Answer-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 - Answer-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 - Answer-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 - Answer-4
A PTA prepares to treat a patient with continuous ultrasound. Which general rule BEST
determines the length of treatment when using ultrasound?
ANSWERS ALL CORRECT
A patient's history includes a lower motor neuron lesion. Which of the following should
the physical therapist assistant expect to observe while treating this patient?
1. Clonus
2. Atrophy
3. Hyperreflexia
4. Spasticity - Answer-2
Which of the following tools is MOST appropriate for assessment of pain in a patient
with multiple injuries?
1. Standardized pain questionnaire
2. Numeric pain rating
3. Visual analog scale
4. Anatomic pain drawing - Answer-4
When performing mechanical cervical traction to increase the intervertebral space at the
C5-C7 levels, which of the following angles of cervical flexion would be MOST
appropriate?
1. 0° to 5°
2. 10° to 15°
3. 25° to 30°
4. 40° to 45° - Answer-3
A patient has weakness during shoulder abduction and reports numbness and tingling
in the anterolateral shoulder and upper extremity. Which of the following nerve roots is
MOST likely impaired?
1. C5
2. C6
3. C7
4. C8 - Answer-1
A patient has weakness at the extensor hallucis longus. What nerve root is impaired?
1. L2
2. L3
3. L4
4. L5 - Answer-4
What myotome level is best testing with heel walking?
,1. L1
2. L2
3. L3
4. L4 - Answer-4
What myotome is the thumb and index finger/ wrist extension?
1. C5
2. C6
3. C7
4. C8 - Answer-2
What myotome weakness is associated with shoulder ABD?
1. C2
2. C3
3. C4
4. C5 - Answer-4
What myotome is being tested at the lateral and plantar aspect of the foot?
1. L3
2. L4
3. S1
4. L5 - Answer-3
What myotome is tested with shoulder elevation?
1. C2
2. C4
3. C3
4. C5 - Answer-2
What nerve root would lead to weakness of the hip adductors?
1. L2
2. L3
3. L4
4. L5 - Answer-1
A physical therapist assistant is reviewing postoperative precautions with a patient who
had a total hip arthroplasty with an anterolateral surgical approach. Which of the
following instructions is MOST appropriate for the patient?
1. When walking backward, lead with the involved leg.
2. When walking, step fully through with the uninvolved leg.
3. Avoid activities that involve standing on the operated leg and rotating toward the
involved side.
4. Avoid activities that involve standing on the operated leg and rotating away from the
involved side. - Answer-4
,Which of the following characteristics MOST likely would be associated with the
presence of a superficial partial-thickness burn?
1. Extreme pain
2. Eschar
3. Marked edema
4. Dry surface - Answer-1
Which of the following characteristics would be associated with a full thickness burn?
1. Extreme pain
2. Eschar
3. Marked edema
4. Dry surface - Answer-2
Which of the following characteristics would be associated with a deep-partial thickness
burn?
1. Extreme pain
2. Eschar
3. Marked edema
4. Dry surface - Answer-3
Which of the following characteristics would be associated with dry surface?
1. Extreme pain
2. Eschar
3. Marked edema
4. Dry surface - Answer-4
A patient has difficulty maintaining quiet standing balance and demonstrates a loss of
balance during small perturbations in a forward direction. Which of the following
muscles should be strengthened?
1. Quadriceps
2. Tibialis anterior
3. Abdominals
4. Gastrocnemius - Answer-4
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 - Answer-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 - Answer-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 - Answer-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 - Answer-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 - Answer-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 - Answer-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 - Answer-4
A PTA prepares to treat a patient with continuous ultrasound. Which general rule BEST
determines the length of treatment when using ultrasound?
