NPTE-PTA Neuromuscular Rehabilitation 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient with a complete T10 spinal cord injury retains which function?
- Voluntary bladder control
- Voluntary ankle plantarflexion
- Trunk muscle control above the umbilicus (Correct answer)
- Full lower extremity motor function
Correct answer: Trunk muscle control above the umbilicus
A T10 complete SCI preserves motor and sensory function above T10, including upper trunk musculature and sensation above the umbilicus.
Question 2: Which type of stroke deficit results in contralateral hemiplegia and ipsilateral facial weakness?
- Middle cerebral artery stroke
- Posterior cerebral artery stroke
- Lateral medullary (Wallenberg) syndrome (Correct answer)
- Anterior cerebral artery stroke
Correct answer: Lateral medullary (Wallenberg) syndrome
Lateral medullary (Wallenberg) syndrome causes ipsilateral facial numbness, contralateral body sensory loss, and ipsilateral ataxia due to posterior inferior cerebellar artery infarction.
Question 3: In Brunnstrom's stages of stroke recovery, what characterizes Stage 3?
- No movement
- Spasticity beginning to appear
- Peak spasticity with voluntary synergy patterns (Correct answer)
- Spasticity decreasing and more isolated movements
Correct answer: Peak spasticity with voluntary synergy patterns
Brunnstrom's Stage 3 is characterized by peak spasticity and voluntary control of limb synergy patterns.
Question 4: Which reflex, if present in an adult, indicates an upper motor neuron lesion?
- Patellar reflex
- Babinski sign (Correct answer)
- Achilles reflex
- Biceps reflex
Correct answer: Babinski sign
The Babinski sign (plantar extension of the great toe with fanning of lesser toes upon plantar stimulation) indicates an upper motor neuron lesion in adults.
Question 5: A patient with Parkinson's disease exhibits a festinating gait. Which description best fits this gait pattern?
- Wide-based gait with lateral trunk sway
- Steppage gait with high knee lift
- Short shuffling steps with increasing speed (Correct answer)
- Scissor gait with hip adduction
Correct answer: Short shuffling steps with increasing speed
Festinating gait in Parkinson's disease is characterized by progressively shorter and faster shuffling steps as the patient leans forward to catch their center of gravity.
Question 6: Which sensory system is primarily affected when a patient fails the Romberg test with eyes closed but passes with eyes open?
- Vision
- Vestibular system
- Proprioception (Correct answer)
- Auditory system
Correct answer: Proprioception
Failing the Romberg test only with eyes closed indicates proprioceptive dysfunction, as the patient can compensate with vision but not without it.
NPTE-PTA Neuromuscular Rehabilitation 1
A patient with a complete T10 spinal cord injury retains which function?