Basic Skills Test 1

A patient complains of pain, and you suspect it's from the piriformis muscle. Which clinical skill is MOST essential to confirm the muscle's location and texture?

• Goniometry (range of motion)

• Manual Muscle Testing

• Palpation

• Reflex testing

Why is a firm, confident initial touch often better than a very light, hesitant one during palpation?

• A light touch can be ticklish or alerting to the nervous system

• It immediately shows the patient you're in charge

• It's the only way to feel deep structures

• It helps warm up the tissues faster

Which of these actions during an examination would MOST likely diminish a patient's trust?

• Explaining the anatomy of the area you're touching

• Asking for feedback on pressure and comfort

• Palpating a known painful area without warning

• Using a clinical chart to locate landmarks

A patient with subacromial impingement will likely experience the most pain with which shoulder movement?

• Holding their arm still at their side

• Reaching overhead to a high shelf

• Shrugging their shoulders

• Reaching behind their lower back

A patient diagnosed with "tennis elbow" would MOST likely report sharp pain with which activity?

• Pushing a door open

• Carrying a grocery bag with their palm facing up

• Gripping and lifting a full coffee mug

• Typing on a keyboard

An avulsion fracture of the humerus's greater tuberosity would surgically impact the function of which muscle group?

• Deltoids

• Rotator cuff

• Pectorals

• Biceps

A cyclist complains of a deep, localized pain right on their "sitting bone" when they pedal hard. This is most likely an issue with the tendon origin of the:

• Quadriceps

• Gluteus maximus

• Adductors

• Hamstrings

An elderly patient feels unsteady while standing. What is the SIMPLEST verbal cue you can give to immediately improve their stability?

• Stand up straighter.

• Take a deep breath.

• Widen your feet to about shoulder-width apart.

• Slightly bend your knees.

Rounding your lower back when lifting a heavy box is dangerous primarily because it:

• Overstretches the abdominal muscles

• Puts uneven and excessive pressure on the intervertebral discs

• Requires more work from the bicep muscles

• Can strain the ligaments in the knee

An office worker has significant forward head posture. What is the MOST effective ergonomic change to begin correcting this?

• Getting a more comfortable chair cushion

• Using a keyboard with a wrist rest

• Raising their computer monitor to eye level

• Using a footstool under their desk