Free NPTE-PTA Practice Questions

10 Free NPTE-PTA Practice Questions (2026)

10 NPTE-PTA-style practice questions written by a licensed Doctor of Physical Therapy — framed from the PTA perspective and covering the highest-weighted content areas from the official FSBPT blueprint. No login required. Instant scoring and full rationales included.

0 of 10 answered
Musculoskeletal
Question 1 of 10
A physical therapist assistant is treating a 60-year-old woman 10 weeks after total knee arthroplasty. The supervising PT’s plan of care includes progressive ROM and strengthening. The patient’s current knee flexion is 95 degrees and she reports tightness but no sharp pain at end range. Which intervention is MOST appropriate to progress her knee flexion?
Neuromuscular & Nervous Systems
Question 2 of 10
A physical therapist assistant is working with a 72-year-old man with Parkinson’s disease. The supervising PT’s plan of care includes gait training with cueing strategies. During ambulation, the patient demonstrates a shuffling gait with reduced step length and freezing episodes at doorways. Which cueing strategy is MOST effective to address the freezing episodes?
Cardiovascular & Pulmonary
Question 3 of 10
A physical therapist assistant is treating a 65-year-old man in a pulmonary rehabilitation program. He has severe COPD (GOLD Stage III) and is on 2L supplemental oxygen via nasal cannula. During treadmill walking, he reports dyspnea at 6/10 on the Modified Borg Scale and his SpO2 is 89%. His resting SpO2 was 93%. According to the PT’s plan of care, exercise should be modified if SpO2 drops below 88% or dyspnea exceeds 6/10. What is the PTA’s MOST appropriate action?
Integumentary System
Question 4 of 10
A physical therapist assistant is providing wound care for a 55-year-old man with a Stage III pressure injury over the sacrum. The wound bed contains approximately 40% yellow slough and 60% red granulation tissue. There is moderate serous drainage. The supervising PT’s plan of care indicates moist wound healing with autolytic debridement. Which dressing is MOST appropriate?
Equipment, Devices & Technologies
Question 5 of 10
A physical therapist assistant is training a 68-year-old woman in the use of a front-wheeled walker following a right total hip arthroplasty with a posterolateral approach. The supervising PT’s plan of care specifies hip precautions, touch-down weight-bearing on the right, and progressive gait training. During ambulation, the PTA notices the patient is advancing her left (non-surgical) leg first after the walker, then dragging the right leg through. What is the MOST appropriate correction?
Safety & Protection
Question 6 of 10
A physical therapist assistant is about to begin a treatment session with a patient on an acute medical unit. Upon entering the room, the PTA notices that the patient’s IV pump is alarming, the bed rails are both down, and the patient is attempting to stand without assistance. The patient is listed as requiring contact guard assist for transfers per the PT’s evaluation. What is the PTA’s MOST appropriate FIRST action?
Therapeutic Modalities
Question 7 of 10
A physical therapist assistant is treating a 40-year-old office worker with lateral epicondylalgia. The supervising PT’s plan of care includes iontophoresis with dexamethasone to the lateral epicondyle. Before setting up the treatment, the PTA reviews the patient’s chart. Which finding would require the PTA to withhold the treatment and contact the supervising PT?
Metabolic & Endocrine
Question 8 of 10
A physical therapist assistant is treating a 50-year-old man with Type 1 diabetes mellitus for a general conditioning program per the PT’s plan of care. Before the session, the patient reports he took his insulin 30 minutes ago but skipped breakfast because he was running late. His blood glucose reading is 62 mg/dL. He says he feels fine and wants to exercise. What is the PTA’s MOST appropriate action?
System Interactions
Question 9 of 10
A physical therapist assistant is treating a 58-year-old woman who is receiving outpatient physical therapy for deconditioning following chemotherapy for breast cancer. She completed her last chemotherapy cycle 3 weeks ago. The supervising PT’s plan of care includes moderate aerobic exercise and upper extremity strengthening. Today the patient reports unusual bruising on her arms and legs and states her last blood work showed “low counts.” Which action is MOST appropriate?
Professional Responsibilities
Question 10 of 10
A physical therapist assistant has been treating a patient for 4 weeks per the PT’s plan of care. During today’s session, the patient reports new symptoms including numbness and tingling radiating down the left arm and intermittent chest tightness that started yesterday. The patient says he mentioned it to his wife but did not call his doctor. What is the PTA’s MOST appropriate action?
0/10
The NPTE-PTA passing threshold is approximately 75% correct
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FAQ

NPTE-PTA Practice Questions — Common Questions

These 10 questions were written by Dr. Cara Dobbertin, PT, DPT, a licensed physical therapist, and formatted to mirror the patient scenario style of the real NPTE-PTA. They are framed from the PTA perspective — implementing the plan of care established by a supervising PT. This page is not affiliated with or endorsed by FSBPT. For official sample questions, visit fsbpt.org.

The NPTE-PTA is designed for physical therapist assistant candidates rather than physical therapists. Questions are framed from the PTA’s perspective — implementing interventions directed by a supervising PT, recognizing when to modify or stop treatment, and knowing when to communicate changes to the supervising PT. The exam contains 180 questions and has a 4-hour time limit compared to the PT exam’s 225 questions and 5-hour limit.

The NPTE-PTA uses the same scaled scoring system as the PT exam — a passing score of 600 on a scale of 200 to 800. There is no penalty for wrong answers. The exam fee is $485 per attempt and there is a lifetime maximum of six attempts with a minimum 90-day wait between attempts.

The NPTE-PTA covers the same body systems as the PT exam but from the perspective of implementing and modifying interventions rather than evaluation and diagnosis. The highest-weighted areas are musculoskeletal and neuromuscular, followed by cardiovascular and pulmonary. Non-system areas including safety, equipment, therapeutic modalities, and professional responsibilities are also tested.

Practitionr’s free 5-day trial gives you access to a full 30-question diagnostic assessment across all NPTE-PTA content areas, plus a personalized AI study plan that adapts based on your performance. No credit card required. Start at practitionr.com/pta-exam-prep.

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