MES Musculoskeletal Conditions & Special Populations 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which exercise is generally contraindicated for clients with moderate-to-severe knee osteoarthritis due to excessive compressive loading?
- Swimming
- Cycling
- Deep squats with heavy loading (Correct answer)
- Walking on flat surfaces
Correct answer: Deep squats with heavy loading
Deep heavy squats produce patellofemoral and tibiofemoral compressive forces many times body weight, which is harmful for moderate-to-severe knee OA.
Question 2: For an older adult with sarcopenia, which training type is the MOST important to prioritize?
- Flexibility training
- Progressive resistance training (Correct answer)
- Low-intensity steady-state cardio
- Breathing exercises
Correct answer: Progressive resistance training
Progressive resistance training is the primary intervention for sarcopenia because it stimulates muscle protein synthesis and reverses muscle mass loss.
Question 3: A pregnant client in her second trimester should avoid exercising in which position?
- Standing
- Seated
- Supine (Correct answer)
- Side-lying
Correct answer: Supine
Supine exercise after the first trimester can cause the uterus to compress the inferior vena cava, reducing venous return and causing supine hypotensive syndrome.
Question 4: Which gait deviation is commonly observed in clients with hip abductor weakness (Trendelenburg sign)?
- Toe walking
- Contralateral pelvic drop during single-leg stance (Correct answer)
- Excessive heel strike
- Bilateral knee valgus during swing phase
Correct answer: Contralateral pelvic drop during single-leg stance
Weak hip abductors fail to stabilize the pelvis, causing the opposite side to drop (positive Trendelenburg) during the stance phase of walking.
Question 5: Which chronic condition is most associated with the development of carpal tunnel syndrome due to soft tissue changes?
- Type 2 diabetes mellitus (Correct answer)
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Peripheral artery disease
- Rheumatoid arthritis of the ankle
Correct answer: Type 2 diabetes mellitus
Diabetes causes glycosylation of connective tissue, leading to thickening of the flexor retinaculum and increasing carpal tunnel pressure.
Question 6: Which exercise modification is most appropriate for a client with lumbar spinal stenosis who experiences symptom relief when bending forward?
- Extension-based exercises like McKenzie press-ups
- Flexion-based exercises like recumbent cycling (Correct answer)
- Standing military press
- Prone back extensions
Correct answer: Flexion-based exercises like recumbent cycling
Lumbar flexion opens the spinal canal and relieves neurogenic claudication in stenosis; activities like recumbent cycling maintain this posture.
MES Musculoskeletal Conditions & Special Populations 2
Which exercise is generally contraindicated for clients with moderate-to-severe knee osteoarthritis due to excessive compressive loading?