Scorebuilders 1 (GH Premier)

A physical therapist is scheduled to administer a whirlpool treatment to a patient who is HIV positive. The therapist sustained a small paper cut on their ring finger (fourth digit) three hours ago and is concerned about their ability to complete the treatment. Which of the following actions is the MOST appropriate for the therapist to take?

a. Refuse to treat the patient and document the rationale in the medical record

b. Treat the patient using appropriate medical asepsis

c. Ask the patient to reschedule their appointment

d. Select another appropriate treatment procedure

B

4. A physical therapist examines a patient diagnosed with anterior compartment syndrome. The patient presents with an inability to dorsiflex the foot and a mild sensory disturbance between the first and second toes. Given the described impairments, which nerve is MOST likely involved?

a. Deep peroneal

b. Medial plantar

c. Tibial

d. Lateral plantar

A

A patient is admitted to the hospital following a recent illness. Laboratory testing reveals a markedly high platelet count. This finding is typical with which of the following conditions?

1. Emphysema

2. Metabolic acidosis

3. Renal failure

4. Malignancy

4

Which of the following is least likely to be a finding in a cerebellar lesion?

1. Ataxia

2. Dysmetria

3. Hypotonia

4. Hypertonia

4

A physical therapist classifies an obtained sputum sample as purulent. Which of the following medical conditions would MOST likely be associated with this type of sputum?

1. Asthma

2. Lung abscess

3. Pulmonary edema

4. Tuberculosis

2

A physical therapist participates in a research study to determine the effect of noise level on the ability to perform a physical skill. In this study, noise is what type of variable?

1. Independent

2. Dependent

3. Criterion

4. Extraneous

1

A patient with a C6 spinal cord injury is examined in physical therapy. Which of the following objective findings would be the BEST indication that the spinal cord injury is incomplete rather than complete?

1. Intact sensation on the lateral portion of the shoulder

2. Absent triceps reflex

3. Diminished sensation over the hypothenar eminence

4. Weakness of the biceps muscle

3

A physical therapist reviews the medical record of a 77-year-old patient who was prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) for pain post arthroscopic surgery. If toxicity is the primary concern, the physician would have likely prescribed an analgesic that possesses which of the following drug characteristics?

1. A short half-life

2. A long half-life

3. Minimal biotransformation

4. Limited clearance

1

Here's why:

• NSAIDs are commonly associated with gastrointestinal, renal, and cardiovascular toxicities, especially with chronic use or overdose.

• When toxicity is a concern, especially in elderly patients or those at risk, physicians prefer medications that can be quickly eliminated from the body to reduce the duration and severity of adverse effects.

• A short half-life means the drug is metabolized and cleared from the body more rapidly, allowing for faster cessation of effects if adverse reactions occur.

• This makes short-acting drugs preferable in situations where toxicity is a concern because they can be discontinued, and their effects will diminish more quickly.

In contrast:

• A long half-life (option 2) would prolong drug effects, increasing the risk of toxicity if adverse effects develop.

• Minimal biotransformation (option 3) and limited clearance (option 4) imply the drug stays longer in the body, which could increase toxicity risk if the drug is inherently harmful or if the patient has impaired elimination pathways.

A physical therapist examines the reflex status of a patient. Which technique should the therapist use to assess the patient's superficial reflexes?

1. Brushing the skin with a light, feathery object

2. Passive joint range of motion

3. Stroking the skin with a blunt object

4. Tapping over a muscle tendon

3

An older adult patient reports persistent pain, weakness, and stiffness affecting the pelvis and shoulders. Additionally, the patient has a higher than normal erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Which of the following medical conditions is the MOST consistent with the described clinical presentation?

1. Pseudogout

2. Gout

3. Polymyalgia rheumatica

4. Systemic lupus erythematosus

3

A physical therapist examines a patient who exhibits pain and sensory loss in the posterior thigh, lateral calf, and dorsal foot. Extensor hallucis longus strength is Poor (2/5), however, the Achilles reflex is normal. What spinal level should the therapist expect to be involved?

1. L4

2. L5

3. S1

4. S2

2

A physical therapist educates a patient on how to apply a transparent film dressing to a wound located on the anterior surface of their thigh. What is the MOST appropriate distance of the dressing's border from the edge of the wound when using this type of dressing?"

1. 10 millimeters

2. 1 centimeter

3. 3 centimeters

4. 6 centimeters

3

A patient is referred to physical therapy with a diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome. The patient is scheduled for a diagnostic test that may help to confirm the diagnosis. Which of the following electrodiagnostic tests would be the MOST appropriate?

1. Electroencephalography

2. Evoked potentials

3. Nerve conduction velocity

4. Electromyography

3

19. A physical therapist performs the talar tilt test on a patient who sustained an inversion ankle sprain. Which ligament does the talar tilt test examine?

1. Anterior talofibular

2. Calcaneofibular

3. Deltoid

4. Posterior talotibial

2

A patient referred to physical therapy with chronic low back pain has failed to make any progress toward meeting established goals in over three weeks of treatment. The physical therapist has employed a variety of treatment techniques, but has yet to observe any sign of subjective or objective improvement in the patient's condition. Which of the following actions is the MOST appropriate for the therapist to take next?

1. Transfer the patient to another therapist's schedule

2. Re-examine the patient and establish new goals

3. Continue to modify the patient's treatment plan

4. Alert the referring physician to the patient's status

4

A physical therapist examines a patient who had a cyst removed from the larynx two days ago. The patient's speech sounds very rough and hoarse. Which of the following terms BEST describes this type of abnormal sound?

1. Dysphonia

2. Dysarthria

3. Dysphasia

4. Diplopia

1

A physical therapist treats a patient diagnosed with gouty arthritis. Which joint should the therapist expect to be the MOST likely affected by this medical condition?

1. Hip

2. Knee

3. Ankle

4. Toe

4

A physical therapist works on community re-integration with a patient prior to discharge to home. Which aspect of gait should the therapist focus on during training to ensure the patient's ability to safely cross the street?

1. Step length

2. Velocity

3. Cadence

4. Heel strike

2

A physical therapist 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

4

A physical therapist elects to utilize the Six-Minute Walk Test as a means of quantifying endurance for a patient rehabilitating from a lengthy illness. Which variable would be the MOST appropriate to measure when determining the patient’s endurance level with this objective test?

1. Perceived exertion

2. Heart rate response

3. Elapsed time

4. Distance walked

4

A patient presents to the emergency room with multiple burns on the upper extremity and chest. The wounds all appear dry, but vary in size and are poorly defined. Examination reveals significant irregularity in the patient’s cardiac rhythm. What type of burn did this patient MOST likely sustain?

1. Friction

2. Chemical

3. Electrical

4. Radiation

3

A patient’s blood glucose level is measured as 60 mg/dL after ten minutes of exercise on a treadmill. Which symptom would this patient MOST likely experience?

1. Polyuria

2. Hyperventilation

3. Excessive thirst

4. Headache

4

Echocardiographic testing revealed a significant decrease in a patient’s anticipated cardiac output. An increase in which variable would MOST likely contribute to this finding?

1. Heart rate

2. Preload

3. Afterload

4. Stroke volume

3

How afterload affects cardiac output:

• An increase in afterload means the heart has to work harder to eject blood. When afterload is high, the ventricles may not eject blood as effectively, leading to a decrease in stroke volume.

• Since cardiac output depends on stroke volume, an increase in afterload can decrease cardiac output.

A physical therapist performs crutch training with a patient post total hip arthroplasty. The patient has orders for partial weight bearing. Which of the following gait patterns would be the MOST appropriate for the patient?

1. Four-point

2. Two-point

3. Three-point

4. Swing-to

3

A physical therapist observes a patient rehabilitating from a right cerebrovascular accident circumduct the left lower extremity during the swing phase of gait to advance the involved limb. Which of the following interventions would be MOST appropriate to utilize during acceleration (initial swing) in order to diminish this gait deviation?

1. Facilitation techniques to the left hip extensors

2. Inhibitory techniques to the left hip extensors

3. Facilitation techniques to the left hip flexors

4. Inhibitory techniques to the left hip flexors

3

A physical therapist attempts to identify a patient's risk factors for coronary artery disease as part of a health screening. The patient's heart rate is recorded as 78 beats per minute and blood pressure as 110/70 mm Hg. Laboratory values indicate a total cholesterol level of 170 mg/dL with high-density lipoproteins reported as 20 mg/dL and low-density lipoproteins as 110 mg/dL. Which of these values would be considered atypical?

1. Heart rate

2. Blood pressure

3. High-density lipoproteins (HDL)

4. Low-density lipoproteins (LDL)

3

A physical therapist works with a patient who has a painful, slow healing wound on the medial lower leg. The affected limb is swollen and appears dark red/purple in color with thickened skin. Which of the following conditions would MOST likely contribute to this type of wound?

1. Diabetes

2. Arterial insufficiency

3. Venous insufficiency

4. Prolonged pressure

3

A physical therapist performs palpation on a patient in the standing position as part of a respiratory assessment. Which assessment procedure would be performed with the therapist positioned behind the patient?

1. Mediastinum motion

2. Upper chest wall motion

3. Middle chest wall motion

4. Lower chest wall motion

4

. A physical therapist conducts scoliosis screenings on adolescents as part of physical therapy week. Which of the following actions is the MOST appropriate for the therapist to take after identifying an adolescent with a moderate scoliotic curve?

1. Refer the adolescent for further orthopedic assessment

2. Educate the adolescent as to the cause of the scoliosis

3. Devise an exercise program for the adolescent

4. Instruct the adolescent in the importance of proper posture

1

A patient with prediabetes is seen by their primary care physician every three months to review the results of their diabetes tests. The patient, recently had a series of tests to determine if their condition has progressed to diabetes mellitus. Which of the following criteria is typically considered a positive result for diabetes mellitus?

1. Oral glucose tolerance test of greater than 140 mg/dL

2. Oral glucose tolerance test of less than 140 mg/dL

3. A1c test of greater than 6.5%

4. A1c test of less than 6.5%

3

A physical therapist examines a patient with anterior cruciate ligament insufficiency. During the examination, a Lachman test is performed. Ideally, the therapist should perform the test with the knee in how many degrees of flexion?

1. 20-30

2. 30-40

3. 40-50

4. 80-90

1

A physical therapist examines a patient with a medial collateral ligament sprain. During the examination, the patient appears to be relaxed and comfortable, however, is extremely quiet. Which of the following questions would be the MOST appropriate to further engage the patient?

1. Is this the first time you have injured your knee?

2. Have you ever been to physical therapy before?

3. How long after your injury did you see a physician?

4. What do you hope to achieve in physical therapy?

4

A physical therapist presents an ineffective on the aging process and its effect on the skin. Which of the following skin things is the MOST likely to occur as a person ages?

1. Increase in skin elasticity

2. Decrease in skin turgor

3. Increase in sebaceous gland activity

4. Decrease in skin dryness

2

A physician orders compression garments for a patient who is ambulatory but has significant difficulty with lower extremity edema. How much pressure would typically be necessary to control lower extremity edema?

1. 10 mm Hg

2. 18 mm Hg

3. 25 mm Hg

4. 35 mm Hg

4

A physical therapist examines a patient with a dorsal scapular nerve injury. Which muscles should the therapist expect to be the MOST affected by this condition?

1. Serratus anterior, pectoralis minor

2. Levator scapulae, rhomboids

3. Latissimus dorsi, teres major

4. Supraspinatus, infraspinatus

2

A physical therapist instructs a patient to make a fist. The patient can make a fist, but is unable to flex the distal phalanx of the ring finger (4th digit). This clinical finding can BEST be explained by a ruptured tendon of which muscle?

1. Flexor carpi radialis

2. Flexor digitorum superficialis

3. Flexor digitorum profundus

4. Extensor digitorum communis

3

. A physical therapist implements an aquatic program for a patient who has a lower extremity injury. The program requires the patient to run in place using a flotation device while tethered to the side of the pool using an elastic cord. Which action would be the MOST appropriate to increase resistance?

1. Increase the water temperature

2. Increase the speed of movement

3. Increase the depth of the water

4. Remove the flotation device

2

A physical therapist reads a recently published case report. Which of the following descriptions represents the MOST important contribution that case reports make to evidence-based practice in physical therapy?

1. Demonstrate a causal relationship between treatment and outcome in a single patient

2. Provide information that can be used to generate inductive hypotheses for future studies

3. Provide data on the natural history of disease states

4. Use triangulation to test a hypothesis with more than one source of data

2

A physical therapist reviews the results of a patient’s laboratory testing and notices the erythrocyte sedimentation rate was normal. Which medical condition would typically produce this finding?

1. Duchenne muscular dystrophy

2. Hodgkin’s lymphoma

3. Systemic lupus erythematosus

4. Polymyalgia rheumatica

1

58. A physical therapist treats a patient with a wound impacting the epidermis of the skin. Which structure would be the MOST affected based on the described wound?

1. Arrector pili muscles

2. Meissner's corpuscles

3. Melanocytes

4. Sebaceous glands

3

A physical therapist discusses pain management for a patient who is post total hip arthroplasty with the patient's nurse. Which objective finding would make the use of patient-controlled analgesia the MOST unrealistic?

1. Altered cognitive status

2. Elevated respiratory rate

3. Advanced age

4. History of substance abuse

1

A physical therapist treats an infant diagnosed with torticollis with marked lateral flexion of the neck to the right. As part of the infant's plan of care, the therapist performs passive stretching activities to improve the patient's range of motion. The MOST appropriate stretch for the patient should involve which of the following motions?

1. Lateral flexion to the right and rotation to the right

2. Lateral flexion to the left and rotation to the left

3. Lateral flexion to the right and rotation to the left

4. Lateral flexion to the left and rotation to the right

4

With the patient's eyes closed and the hand held out, a physical therapist places a series of different weights in the patient's hand one at a time. The patient is then asked to identify the comparative weight of the objects. Which type of sensation is the therapist MOST likely testing?

Answer choices:

1. Barognosis

2. Graphesthesia

3. Recognition of texture

4. Stereognosis

1

A physical therapist instructs a patient post motor vehicle accident to ambulate with a platform walker. The patient has poor balance and is presently partial weight bearing. Which of the following impairments would MOST warrant the use of the platform attachment?

Answer choices:

1. Upper extremity spasticity

2. Generalized upper extremity muscle weakness

3. Flexion contracture of the elbow

4. Impaired upper extremity sensation

3

A physical therapist utilizes the services of a physical therapy aide. Which variable BEST determines the extent to which physical therapy aides are involved in patient care activities?

1. The number of years of experience

2. The scope of formal training

3. The discretion of the physical therapist

4. The quantity of continuing education courses

3

A physical therapist prepares to treat a patient with cystic fibrosis using postural drainage. Which of the following patient positions is the MOST appropriate when treating the superior segments of the lower lobes?

1. Sitting, leaning back at a 30-40 degree angle

2. Head down on left side, 1/4 turn backward

3. Supine with two pillows under the knees

4. Prone with two pillows under the hips

4