NPTE-PTA Equipment, Devices & Technologies Practice Questions
Equipment, Devices & Technologies makes up 3 of every 50 questions on a Tigertest NPTE-PTA practice test. Here are 10 of the 12 questions on it, each with the answer and the reason.
Updated by the Tigertest team. Based on the FSBPT NPTE-PTA Test Content Outline (2024). Original questions; 50 per test, weighted like the real exam. Not affiliated with FSBPT.
1. A standard walker is fitted correctly when the handgrips are at which level?
- A.The top of the thigh
- B.The wrist crease
- C.The waist
- D.The elbow
Answer: B. Handgrips at the wrist crease with the arms at the sides give about 20 to 30 degrees of elbow flexion when holding the walker.
2. With the patient standing, the handle of a single-point cane is usually set level with which landmark?
- A.Knee joint line
- B.Elbow when bent
- C.Anterior superior iliac spine
- D.Greater trochanter
Answer: D. With the patient standing, the cane handle should reach the greater trochanter or wrist crease, giving slight elbow flexion.
3. Where should the top of an axillary crutch sit, relative to the armpit, when the patient stands?
- A.About 2 inches below it
- B.About 6 inches below it
- C.Pressed into the armpit
- D.Level with the shoulder
Answer: A. A gap of about 2 inches (5 cm) prevents pressure on the axillary nerves and vessels. Weight goes through the hands.
4. When fitting a wheelchair, how wide should the seat be?
- A.About 6 inches wider than the hips
- B.Narrower than the hips
- C.About 2 inches wider than the hips
- D.Exactly the hip width
Answer: C. About 1 inch of clearance on each side (2 inches total) prevents pressure on the hips and keeps the chair narrow enough to propel.
5. A wheelchair seat is too deep for a patient. What problem is most likely?
- A.Feet resting too high
- B.Arms too high to propel
- C.Pressure behind the knees
- D.Pressure on the ischial tuberosities only
Answer: C. The seat should end about 2 inches behind the knee. A seat that is too deep presses the popliteal area and pulls the patient into a slouch.
6. After a transfemoral amputation, which position is avoided when resting?
- A.Pillow under the limb
- B.Hip in neutral extension
- C.Lying flat on the back
- D.Lying prone for periods
Answer: A. Propping the limb on a pillow holds the hip in flexion and promotes a hip flexion contracture. Prone lying is encouraged.
7. When wrapping a residual limb with an elastic bandage, how is pressure graded?
- A.Loosest at the end of the limb
- B.Tighter proximally than distally
- C.Even everywhere, circular turns
- D.Tighter distally than proximally
Answer: D. Figure-eight turns with more pressure distally shape the limb and push fluid toward the body. Circular turns can act as a tourniquet.
8. A transtibial prosthesis feels loose by the afternoon as the limb shrinks. What is usually done?
- A.Stop wearing it that day
- B.Add a ply of sock
- C.Remove all socks
- D.Tighten the suspension strap only
Answer: B. Residual limb volume falls during the day, so the patient adds sock ply to restore socket fit. Persistent poor fit is reported to the prosthetist.
9. Which orthosis controls both knee and ankle for a patient with quadriceps and dorsiflexor weakness?
- A.Knee sleeve
- B.Knee-ankle-foot orthosis
- C.Posterior leaf spring AFO
- D.Heel lift insert
Answer: B. A KAFO adds knee control (often with locking joints) to ankle-foot control. An AFO alone cannot stabilize a weak knee.
10. Before using a mechanical lift to move a patient, what should the PTA check first?
- A.The lift's charge indicator only
- B.The patient's weight-bearing status
- C.The patient's grip strength
- D.Sling size and condition
Answer: D. Use the correct sling size for the patient, inspect it for wear and follow the manufacturer's directions (including on wheel locks) before raising anyone. A worn or wrong-size sling can fail or let the patient slip out.
Practice all 12 equipment, devices & technologies questions, and the rest of the 200-question bank, in the free NPTE-PTA training sets. Questions you miss come back until you have mastered them.
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