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Clinical Examination and Differential Diagnosis Flashcards

6 cards from real MPT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 6 Clinical Examination and Differential Diagnosis flashcards as text

  1. A positive Spurling test (foraminal compression test) is most indicative of:

    Answer: Cervical nerve root compression

    Spurling test (cervical compression with lateral flexion toward the symptomatic side) reproduces radicular arm pain when a cervical nerve root is compressed, indicating cervical radiculopathy.

  2. Which special test is used to assess the integrity of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL)?

    Answer: Posterior drawer test

    The posterior drawer test assesses PCL integrity by applying a posterior force to the proximal tibia at 90 degrees knee flexion. Excessive posterior tibial translation indicates PCL laxity.

  3. A patient presents with progressive weakness and atrophy of intrinsic hand muscles bilaterally, spastic legs, and hyperreflexia. This clinical picture is most consistent with:

    Answer: Cervical myelopathy

    Cervical myelopathy presents with upper extremity LMN signs (atrophy, weakness) combined with lower extremity UMN signs (spasticity, hyperreflexia) due to spinal cord compression at the cervical level.

  4. The FABER test (Flexion, ABduction, External Rotation) reproduces groin or hip pain. This finding is most suggestive of:

    Answer: Sacroiliac joint dysfunction or hip joint pathology

    A positive FABER test (groin pain) suggests hip joint pathology (labral tear, FAI, arthritis) or sacroiliac joint dysfunction, depending on pain location (groin vs. posterior SI region).

  5. During a sensory examination, the patient cannot distinguish between a sharp and dull stimulus but accurately identifies light touch. This finding indicates dysfunction of which sensory pathway?

    Answer: Spinothalamic tract (anterolateral system)

    Pain and temperature discrimination (and crude touch) are transmitted via the spinothalamic tract. Loss of sharp-dull discrimination with intact light touch indicates anterolateral system dysfunction.

  6. A patient presents with shoulder pain reproduced by the Hawkins-Kennedy test. This test most specifically assesses for:

    Answer: Subacromial impingement (supraspinatus or subacromial bursa compression)

    The Hawkins-Kennedy test (shoulder flexion to 90 degrees plus internal rotation) compresses the supraspinatus and subacromial bursa under the coracoacromial arch, reproducing impingement pain.