NCS Stroke Rehabilitation 3

Question 1

Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT) is BEST indicated for which post-stroke patient profile?

Accepted Answer

At least 10° active wrist extension and 10° active finger extension in affected hand

Answer

CIMT criteria require a minimum of 10° active wrist extension and 10° active finger extension in the affected hand to achieve meaningful functional gains.

Question 2

Which neuroplasticity principle is MOST directly exploited by task-specific training in stroke rehabilitation?

Accepted Answer

Use-dependent cortical reorganization

Answer

Repetitive task-specific practice drives use-dependent cortical reorganization, expanding the cortical representation of trained movements.

Question 3

Body-weight-supported treadmill training (BWSTT) for gait rehabilitation after stroke primarily works by facilitating which mechanism?

Accepted Answer

Activating central pattern generators in the lumbar spinal cord

Answer

BWSTT unloads body weight to allow repetitive stepping, activating central pattern generators (CPGs) in the lumbar spinal cord to retrain locomotor patterns.

Question 4

A patient 3 months post-stroke has a flaccid affected lower extremity. Which intervention is MOST appropriate to facilitate early stance stability?

Accepted Answer

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) to quadriceps during stance

Answer

FES applied to the quadriceps during the stance phase provides active muscle contraction to support knee stability when the muscle is flaccid.

Question 5

Mirror therapy for post-stroke upper extremity rehabilitation works primarily through which mechanism?

Accepted Answer

Activating the motor cortex via visual illusion of affected limb movement

Answer

Mirror therapy creates a visual illusion that the affected limb is moving, activating mirror neurons and motor cortex regions associated with the paretic limb.

(NCS) Neurologic Clinical Specialist Practice Test

(NCS) Neurologic Clinical Specialist Practice Test

NCS Stroke Rehabilitation 3