CH 3: Important concepts

Question 1

What is the integral aspect of the physical therapy profession’s vision scope of practice?

Answer 1

Diagnosis

Question 2

What is the process of carefully comparing and contrasting patient data points with the goal of appropriate exclusion and inclusion that terminated with the development of intervention strategies?

Answer 2

Differential diagnosis

Question 3

What is the unique body of knowledge that is provided only by qualified, trained, and credentialed PTs and PTAs under the direction and supervision of a PT?

Answer 3

Physical Therapy

Question 4

What encompasses various aspects of acute, rehabilitative, and chronic phases of patient care with the focus primarily on the musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiopulmonary, and integumentary systems?

Answer 4

Practice of physical therapy

Question 5

What are the various aspects of patient care?

Answer 5

Acute, rehabilitative, chronic

Question 6

What are the focuses of physical therapy?

Answer 6

Musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiopulmonary, and integumentary

Question 7

What requires a global understanding of the functions of all systems and how each system interacts with and influences the others?

Answer 7

Differential diagnosis

Question 8

What are the basic skills required to begin the practice of assessment?

Answer 8

Observation, listening, manual proficiency, and communication

Question 9

What are some manual proficiencies?

Answer 9

ROM, MMT, anthropometric measurements, and motor and sensory screening

Question 10

What is a condition that requires immediate medical attention because it may indicate a severe condition or disorder such as infection, inflammation, cancer, heart attack, or fracture?

Answer 10

Red Flag Problems

Question 11

What is defined as symptoms that affect the whole body and imply there is a possibility that a systemic disease or illness process exists?

Answer 11

Constitutional symptoms

Question 12

What condition(s) has red flags for chest pain or discomfort; presence of irregular heartbeats (arrhythmia, dysrhythmia); breathlessness or dyspnea; fainting (syncope); or unusual recent fatigue, cough, cyanosis, or edema?

Answer 12

Myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accident, transient ischemic attack

Question 13

What is the 3rd most common cardiovascular disease process, occurring in 30-60% of all people who have undergone major surgery, with 90% occurring in LE?

Answer 13

DVT (deep vein thrombosis)

Question 14

What is defined as a fall in systolic blood pressure of 20 mmHg or more of a fall in diastolic blood pressure of 10 mmHg when the patient moves from a lying position to an erect sitting or standing or from sitting to standing?

Answer 14

Orthostatic hypotension

Question 15

What is a common insult to the pulmonary system?

Answer 15

Pneumonia

Question 16

What is an inflammation of the lung tissues that creates excessive fluids resulting in difficulty breathing?

Answer 16

Pneumonia

Question 17

What occurs when the bronchial airways become inflamed in response to allergens, infectious agents, pollutants, aspirin, and exercise?

Answer 17

Asthma

Question 18

When experiencing unexplained weight loss, pain at night, and inability to obtain a comfortable position, what should be ruled out?

Answer 18

Tumor or cancer type of pathology

Question 19

What are the risk factors for colon cancer?

Answer 19

Obesity, eating red meat, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption

Question 20

What organs can have problems that are located close to the thoracic spine creating many spinal symptoms?

Answer 20

Heart, lungs, stomach, kidneys

Question 21

What condition does not occur in a predictable pattern and is not as responsive to nitroglycerin?

Answer 21

Unstable angina

Question 22

What condition occurs in a predictable pattern and is responsive to medication?

Answer 22

Stable angina

Question 23

What are the conditions to assess for red flags in the shoulder and cervical spine?

Answer 23

Central cord syndromes, ligamentous instability, brachial plexus neuropathies, tumor

Question 24

What type of injury should be suspected in patient who present with weakness in shoulder abduction and scapular elevation?

Answer 24

Spinal accessory nerve

Question 25

What type of injury should be suspected in a patient who presents with weakness of shoulder abduction and flexion?

Answer 25

Axillary nerve

Question 26

What type of injury can create a dramatic loss of shoulder strength because the patient presents with significant serratus anterior weakness, which causes scapular thoracic winging and loss of normal overhead kinematics?

Answer 26

Long thoracic nerve

Question 27

What types of injuries may elicit red flags in more distal UE?

Answer 27

Multiple fractures, tendon injuries, infections, neurologic involvement