NPTE-PT Test Gait, Balance, and Orthotics Questions and Answers Flashcards

Which gait deviation is most commonly associated with quadriceps weakness during the loading response phase?

Answer: Excessive knee flexion with compensatory forward trunk lean

Quadriceps weakness during loading response causes the knee to buckle into flexion, and patients often compensate by leaning the trunk forward to move the ground reaction force anterior to the knee.

A floor reaction AFO is most indicated for a patient with which condition?

Answer: Crouch gait with weak plantarflexors

A floor reaction AFO blocks tibial advancement and creates a knee extension moment, making it ideal for crouch gait patterns with plantarflexor weakness.

During terminal stance in normal gait, which joint motion contributes most to forward propulsion?

Answer: Ankle plantarflexion

The gastrocnemius-soleus complex generates a powerful plantarflexion moment during terminal stance that provides the primary propulsive force for forward progression.

The Berg Balance Scale consists of how many items and what is the maximum score?

Answer: 14 items, maximum score of 56

The Berg Balance Scale includes 14 functional balance tasks, each scored from 0 to 4, yielding a maximum score of 56.

A patient wearing a KAFO with a drop-lock knee joint demonstrates difficulty initiating swing phase. What modification would best address this?

Answer: Replace with a stance-control knee joint

A stance-control knee joint automatically locks during stance for stability but unlocks during swing to allow free knee flexion, improving gait efficiency.

Which sensory system is primarily challenged when a patient performs balance exercises on a foam surface with eyes open?

Answer: Somatosensory system

A foam surface provides inaccurate somatosensory input from the feet, forcing greater reliance on visual and vestibular systems for balance.