Free NPTE Practice Test

A 32-year-old recreational runner is 3 weeks status-post acute primary surgical repair of a complete Achilles tendon rupture. The patient is currently immobilized in an ankle-foot orthosis (cam walker boot) locked in 10° of plantarflexion and is non-weight-bearing with crutches. During the subacute fibroblastic repair phase of tissue healing, which therapeutic intervention is MOST appropriate to promote parallel collagen alignment without compromising the surgical repair?

A 45-year-old carpenter presents with a 6-week history of insidious lateral shoulder pain aggravated by overhead hammering. Physical examination reveals a positive Neer impingement sign, a positive Hawkins-Kennedy test, and a painful arc between 70° and 120° of active glenohumeral abduction. Manual muscle testing demonstrates 5/5 strength in the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and subscapularis without lag signs. Which clinical condition is MOST consistent with this presentation?

A physical therapist is evaluating a 68-year-old patient who sustained a left middle cerebral artery (MCA) ischemic stroke 4 weeks ago. During the stance phase of gait on the hemiparetic right lower extremity, the therapist observes excessive knee hyperextension (genu recurvatum). Which combination of motor impairments is the MOST common contributor to this stance-phase deviation?

A 62-year-old outpatient participating in Phase II cardiac rehabilitation following coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is performing supervised treadmill ambulation. During an incremental increase in workload, the therapist continuously monitors vital signs and ECG telemetry. Which physiological response represents an ABSOLUTE indication to immediately terminate the exercise session?

A physical therapist is treating a 26-year-old patient with a complete spinal cord injury at the T4 level (ASIA Impairment Scale A). During transfer training, the patient suddenly reports a severe, pounding headache and blurred vision. The therapist observes marked facial flushing, profuse diaphoresis above T4, and a blood pressure reading of 190/105 mm Hg (patient baseline: 95/60 mm Hg). Which immediate clinical action should the therapist perform FIRST?

During an outpatient physical therapy session, a physical therapist observes unexplained patterned contusions resembling handprints on the upper arms and back of an 84-year-old patient accompanied by a family caregiver. When interviewed privately in a safe environment, the patient appears fearful, tearful, and expresses anxiety about going home. How should the physical therapist ethically and legally respond in accordance with professional licensure standards?

A physical therapist reviews a randomized controlled trial investigating dry needling versus sham needling for chronic low back pain. The trial reports a statistically significant reduction in Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores in the treatment group (p = 0.03), with a 95% confidence interval for the mean difference of [2.1 to 6.8] points. The established Minimal Clinically Important Difference (MCID) for the ODI is 10 points. How should the therapist interpret these findings for clinical practice?

A newly validated clinical orthopedic physical examination test for detecting anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears is reported to have a Sensitivity of 0.96 (96%) and a Specificity of 0.62 (62%). When performing this test during a clinical examination, how should a physical therapist interpret a NEGATIVE test result?