Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy and Manual Therapy Flashcards
7 cards from real PCE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy and Manual Therapy flashcards as text
A patient presents with a positive Empty Can (Jobe's) test. Which structure is most likely injured?
Answer: Supraspinatus
The Empty Can test isolates the supraspinatus by placing the shoulder in 90° abduction, 30° horizontal adduction, and internal rotation, making supraspinatus pathology the primary finding.
Which special test has the highest specificity for diagnosing an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear?
Answer: Pivot shift test
The pivot shift test has the highest specificity (~98%) for ACL tears because it reproduces the rotational instability pattern unique to ACL deficiency during weight-bearing.
Using the Maitland grading system, which grade is MOST appropriate for treating an acute, highly irritable cervical condition?
Answer: Grade I
Grade I (small amplitude oscillations at the beginning of range) is appropriate for acute, irritable conditions to provide pain relief without provoking symptoms.
Which of the following is an absolute contraindication to cervical spine high-velocity manipulation?
Answer: Vertebral artery insufficiency
Vertebral artery insufficiency is an absolute contraindication to cervical manipulation due to the risk of vertebrobasilar stroke from compromised blood flow.
Which muscle is most commonly involved in lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow)?
Answer: Extensor carpi radialis brevis
The extensor carpi radialis brevis (ECRB) is most commonly affected in lateral epicondylitis due to its anatomical position and the high tensile loads it bears during repetitive gripping.
Which best describes the coupled motion pattern of the lumbar spine during lateral flexion?
Answer: Contralateral rotation throughout the lumbar spine
In the lumbar spine, lateral flexion is coupled with contralateral rotation — when the spine bends left, the spinous processes rotate to the right.
A patient has a positive Finkelstein test. Which diagnosis does this indicate?
Answer: De Quervain's tenosynovitis
Finkelstein's test (ulnar deviation with thumb tucked in fist) specifically stresses the abductor pollicis longus and extensor pollicis brevis tendons, confirming De Quervain's tenosynovitis when painful.