Neuromuscular System Interventions Flashcards
7 cards from real NPTE-PT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Neuromuscular System Interventions flashcards as text
Constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) is MOST appropriate for which patient?
Answer: Chronic stroke with at least 10° of active wrist extension in the paretic limb
CIMT eligibility requires sufficient residual motor function (typically ≥10° wrist extension and ≥10° finger extension) to perform mass practice; complete hemiplegia does not meet this threshold.
The Bobath (NDT) approach primarily aims to achieve which therapeutic outcome?
Answer: Inhibition of abnormal tone and facilitation of normal movement patterns through handling
NDT focuses on normalizing postural tone and facilitating typical movement patterns through therapist handling, key points of control, and preparation of the neuromuscular system.
Current evidence MOST strongly supports which intervention for improving upper extremity function in chronic stroke?
Answer: High-intensity, task-specific repetitive practice
Systematic reviews consistently show that high-dose, task-specific, repetitive practice drives cortical reorganization and produces the greatest functional gains in chronic stroke rehabilitation.
A patient with cerebellar ataxia and coordination deficits is treated with Frenkel's exercises. What is the PRIMARY mechanism of this approach?
Answer: Visual compensation and cognitive attention to substitute for impaired cerebellar error correction
Frenkel's exercises use careful visual attention and slow, graded movement to teach patients to substitute visual and cognitive feedback for lost cerebellar coordination.
Mirror therapy for upper extremity rehabilitation after stroke is thought to work through which PRIMARY mechanism?
Answer: Activating mirror neurons and creating an illusion of paretic limb movement to drive neuroplasticity
Mirror therapy creates a visual illusion of bilateral movement; this activates mirror neuron systems and premotor cortex of the affected hemisphere, promoting cortical reorganization.
Which outcome measure is MOST appropriate for assessing balance and fall risk across a broad range of neurological diagnoses?
Answer: Berg Balance Scale (BBS)
The Berg Balance Scale assesses static and dynamic balance through 14 functional tasks and has strong validity and reliability as a fall-risk predictor in neurological populations.
A patient with multiple sclerosis reports worsening of neurological symptoms during a physical therapy session on a warm day. Which intervention modification is MOST appropriate?
Answer: Apply cooling strategies, schedule sessions in cooler environments, and use energy conservation techniques
Uhthoff's phenomenon describes transient worsening of MS symptoms with increased body temperature; cooling vests, cool environments, and energy conservation prevent this during rehabilitation.