CMT CMT Neurological Assessment & Neuromuscular Therapy 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The straight leg raise (SLR) test is considered positive for sciatic nerve involvement when pain radiates below the knee at less than:
- 30°
- 45°
- 60° (Correct answer)
- 90°
Correct answer: 60°
A positive SLR is indicated when sciatic pain radiates below the knee at less than 60° of hip flexion.
Question 2: Reciprocal inhibition is the neurological principle describing:
- Contraction of both agonist and antagonist simultaneously
- Reflex inhibition of the antagonist when the agonist contracts (Correct answer)
- Co-activation of synergists during heavy loading
- Increased muscle tone following spinal cord injury
Correct answer: Reflex inhibition of the antagonist when the agonist contracts
Reciprocal inhibition is the reflex relaxation of the antagonist muscle when the agonist contracts, mediated by Ia afferent fibers.
Question 3: Proprioception is primarily transmitted through which type of sensory receptor?
- Nociceptors
- Muscle spindles and Golgi tendon organs (Correct answer)
- Meissner's corpuscles
- Pacinian corpuscles
Correct answer: Muscle spindles and Golgi tendon organs
Muscle spindles detect muscle length change and Golgi tendon organs detect tension, both contributing essential proprioceptive feedback.
Question 4: A patient presents with numbness and tingling in the little finger and medial ring finger. This pattern is most consistent with compression of which nerve?
- Median nerve
- Radial nerve
- Ulnar nerve (Correct answer)
- Musculocutaneous nerve
Correct answer: Ulnar nerve
The ulnar nerve supplies the little finger and medial half of the ring finger; compression (e.g., at cubital tunnel) produces this pattern.
Question 5: The role of the muscle spindle in neuromuscular therapy is best described as:
- Detecting joint position to prevent dislocation
- Monitoring muscle length and triggering a stretch reflex when rapidly lengthened (Correct answer)
- Measuring force output to prevent tendon rupture
- Regulating blood flow through intramuscular vessels
Correct answer: Monitoring muscle length and triggering a stretch reflex when rapidly lengthened
Muscle spindles are intrafusal fibers that sense muscle length; rapid lengthening triggers the myotatic stretch reflex.
Question 6: Which neurological test specifically assesses for thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS)?
- Phalen's test
- Adson's test (Correct answer)
- Finkelstein's test
- Tinel's sign at the wrist
Correct answer: Adson's test
Adson's test assesses for TOS by monitoring radial pulse changes with neck rotation and deep inhalation to compress the subclavian artery.
CMT CMT Neurological Assessment & Neuromuscular Therapy 2
The straight leg raise (SLR) test is considered positive for sciatic nerve involvement when pain radiates below the knee at less than: