CMT CMT Neurological Assessment & Neuromuscular Therapy 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Dermatome testing during a CMT neurological screen helps identify:
- Muscle strength deficits
- Segmental spinal nerve root compression (Correct answer)
- Ligamentous laxity
- Joint effusion
Correct answer: Segmental spinal nerve root compression
Dermatome testing maps sensory changes to specific spinal nerve root levels to identify nerve compression or radiculopathy.
Question 2: Hyporeflexia of the patellar tendon reflex is most associated with which nerve root level?
- L2
- L3-L4 (Correct answer)
- L5
- S1
Correct answer: L3-L4
The patellar tendon (knee jerk) reflex is mediated primarily by the L3-L4 nerve root.
Question 3: During an upper limb neurological screen, weakness in wrist extension most likely implicates which nerve root?
- C5
- C6
- C7 (Correct answer)
- C8
Correct answer: C7
Wrist extension is primarily innervated by the C7 nerve root via the radial nerve.
Question 4: The slump test is used to assess:
- Lumbar facet joint pathology
- Neural tension in the dural tube and sciatic nerve (Correct answer)
- Sacroiliac joint dysfunction
- Quadratus lumborum trigger points
Correct answer: Neural tension in the dural tube and sciatic nerve
The slump test applies tension to the dural tube and sciatic nerve to detect neural sensitivity or pathology.
Question 5: Neuromuscular therapy (NMT) primarily addresses dysfunction by:
- Stimulating peripheral nerve regeneration
- Normalizing neuromuscular firing patterns and releasing ischemic tissue (Correct answer)
- Surgical release of nerve entrapments
- Pharmacological reduction of nerve inflammation
Correct answer: Normalizing neuromuscular firing patterns and releasing ischemic tissue
NMT works by normalizing aberrant neuromuscular firing patterns and addressing ischemic muscle tissue through specific compression techniques.
Question 6: Which finding on a neurological screen indicates an upper motor neuron lesion rather than lower motor neuron?
- Flaccid paralysis and muscle atrophy
- Hyperreflexia and positive Babinski sign (Correct answer)
- Fasciculations and areflexia
- Decreased muscle tone and dermatomal sensory loss
Correct answer: Hyperreflexia and positive Babinski sign
Upper motor neuron lesions produce hyperreflexia, spasticity, and a positive Babinski sign due to loss of descending inhibition.
CMT CMT Neurological Assessment & Neuromuscular Therapy 1
Dermatome testing during a CMT neurological screen helps identify: