SCS Therapeutic Interventions 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A collegiate soccer player presents with a Grade II medial collateral ligament sprain. Which therapeutic intervention is MOST appropriate during the proliferative phase of healing?
- Cryotherapy and rest
- Progressive range-of-motion exercises and gentle strengthening (Correct answer)
- Maximum resistance training
- Ultrasound at 3 MHz for deep heating
Correct answer: Progressive range-of-motion exercises and gentle strengthening
During the proliferative phase, progressive ROM and gentle strengthening promote collagen alignment without disrupting healing tissue.
Question 2: Which neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) parameter is MOST critical for achieving a strong muscle contraction in a quadriceps re-education program post-ACL reconstruction?
- Pulse frequency of 1–5 Hz
- Pulse frequency of 50–80 Hz (Correct answer)
- Continuous waveform mode
- Amplitude below sensory threshold
Correct answer: Pulse frequency of 50–80 Hz
Pulse frequencies of 50–80 Hz produce tetanic muscle contractions necessary for effective quadriceps re-education.
Question 3: An athlete recovering from a rotator cuff repair is 8 weeks post-op. Which aquatic therapy principle makes this an appropriate adjunct intervention at this stage?
- Hydrostatic pressure increases joint load
- Buoyancy reduces compressive forces allowing earlier ROM (Correct answer)
- Turbulence increases rotator cuff activation beyond land-based exercise
- Water temperature has no effect on pain modulation
Correct answer: Buoyancy reduces compressive forces allowing earlier ROM
Buoyancy offloads the glenohumeral joint, enabling earlier active ROM exercises that would be painful or risky on land.
Question 4: A track athlete has chronic patellar tendinopathy. Current evidence BEST supports which loading protocol as the primary intervention?
- Complete rest for 6 weeks
- Ice massage only
- Heavy slow resistance (HSR) eccentric-concentric loading (Correct answer)
- Ultrasound and electrical stimulation alone
Correct answer: Heavy slow resistance (HSR) eccentric-concentric loading
Heavy slow resistance training has the strongest evidence for stimulating tendon remodeling and reducing pain in patellar tendinopathy.
Question 5: When applying therapeutic ultrasound to promote tissue healing in a muscle strain, which parameter combination is MOST appropriate?
- 1 MHz, 1.0–1.5 W/cm², pulsed 20%
- 3 MHz, 1.0–1.5 W/cm², pulsed 20% (Correct answer)
- 1 MHz, 3.0 W/cm², continuous
- 3 MHz, 0.1 W/cm², continuous
Correct answer: 3 MHz, 1.0–1.5 W/cm², pulsed 20%
3 MHz penetrates superficial tissue (1–2 cm) effectively, and pulsed mode at 20% duty cycle provides non-thermal healing benefits.
Question 6: A baseball pitcher has lateral epicondylalgia. Which wrist position during grip strengthening exercises MOST reduces stress at the lateral epicondyle?
- Wrist flexion
- Wrist extension
- Neutral wrist (Correct answer)
- Ulnar deviation
Correct answer: Neutral wrist
A neutral wrist position minimizes extensor muscle tension at the lateral epicondyle while still allowing effective grip strengthening.
Question 7: Which proprioceptive exercise progression is MOST appropriate immediately following a return to weight-bearing after an acute lateral ankle sprain?
- Single-leg balance on an unstable surface with eyes closed
- Double-leg stance on a stable surface, eyes open (Correct answer)
- Single-leg hop and land sequence
- Lateral shuffle at high speed
Correct answer: Double-leg stance on a stable surface, eyes open
Beginning with bilateral stable-surface balance with visual input establishes a safe baseline before advancing to more demanding proprioceptive tasks.
SCS Therapeutic Interventions 2
A collegiate soccer player presents with a Grade II medial collateral ligament sprain.
Which therapeutic intervention is MOST appropriate during the proliferative phase of healing?