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These 10 free CPTA questions are organized by exam domain, so you can see how each part of the Certified Physical Therapy Aide blueprint is tested. Reveal the answer and explanation under each question.
Slowly lowering from standing into a chair requires control as the knees bend under body weight. Which muscle action primarily controls this knee motion?
Correct answer: A - Eccentric contraction of the quadriceps
With the patient's eyes closed, the PT moves the great toe slightly upward or downward. The patient detects light touch on the toe but cannot identify the direction of movement. Which sensory function is most directly impaired?
Correct answer: B - Awareness of joint position
After a stroke, a patient has persistent slurred speech caused by poor control of the lips and tongue. The patient follows spoken directions and writes clear, meaningful sentences. What term distinguishes this motor-speech problem from a language disorder?
Correct answer: D - Dysarthria
An aide is counting repetitions while a PT supervises a strengthening exercise. The instructions are two sets of 10 with a specified resistance band. After a comfortable first set, the patient says, 'Let's use the stronger band.' How should the aide handle the request?
Correct answer: B - Keep the prescribed band and relay the request to the PT.
The label on a treatment-table disinfectant requires the cleaned surface to remain visibly wet for three uninterrupted minutes. An aide applies the product, but the table dries after one minute. Before putting on clean linen, the aide should:
Correct answer: A - Reapply the product and keep the surface wet for a full three minutes.
Before bringing rehabilitation equipment to a hospitalized child with active chickenpox, an aide checks the child's isolation instructions. Which transmission-based precautions should be listed in addition to Standard Precautions?
Correct answer: D - Airborne and Contact Precautions
A PT is supervising cane practice for a patient with right knee pain. The patient holds the cane in the right hand and moves it with the left leg. The PT has prescribed the usual cane pattern for unloading the painful knee. Which cue corrects the demonstration?
Correct answer: C - Hold the cane in your left hand and advance it with your right leg.
For a 77-year-old, the PT records a CDC STEADI Timed Up and Go result of 15.6 seconds. Testing used the patient's usual cane and the standard three-meter course. The patient completed the test without physical assistance or a loss of balance. What conclusion does this result support?
Correct answer: C - The time indicates increased fall risk despite independent completion.
The transfer plan specifies a full-body lift for a 178-kg patient who cannot bear weight through either leg. A trained aide is gathering equipment for the PT-supervised transfer. All listed slings are correctly sized and manufacturer-approved for their paired lifts. Which pairing meets both the plan and the weight limits?
Correct answer: B - A 200-kg full-body lift with a 200-kg sling.
'I feel tingling, but my muscles aren't moving. Is something wrong?' asks a patient during PT-supervised sensory-level TENS for knee pain. The sensation is comfortable, and the skin is unchanged. Which reply accurately explains the treatment?
Correct answer: D - This treatment targets pain relief; a visible muscle contraction is not required.
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