10 exam-style questions with answers and explanations, straight from our 1,030-question bank. Tap an answer to check yourself. When you're ready, take the scored version in the free practice test.
These 10 free BCPR questions are organized by exam domain, so you can see how each part of the Board Certification in Physical Rehabilitation blueprint is tested. Reveal the answer and explanation under each question.
Domain 1: Client Conditions and Factors 50% of exam
Question 1
During breakfast after a right-hemisphere stroke, a client leaves food on the left side of the plate and insists the meal is finished. The client detects targets in either visual field when each is presented alone, but misses the left target when both sides are stimulated simultaneously. A similar left-sided omission occurs with simultaneous touch to both hands. Which impairment best explains the combined findings?
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Correct answer: B - Left unilateral spatial neglect
Question 2
At reassessment for a wrist injury, a client completes 10 of the 11 QuickDASH disability/symptom items; the responses sum to 26. The baseline QuickDASH score was 55, obtained under comparable conditions. What should the OT record?
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Correct answer: B - A score of 40, indicating less self-reported disability than at baseline.
Question 3
While practicing lower-body dressing, a client with a T4 spinal cord injury develops a pounding headache and facial flushing. Blood pressure is 136/82 mmHg; the client's usual seated pressure is 96/60 mmHg. The OT stops the activity and summons urgent assistance. While help is arriving, which immediate action is indicated?
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Correct answer: C - Sit upright with legs lowered, loosen constrictive clothing, and monitor blood pressure and pulse every 1-2 minutes.
Question 4
After a forearm laceration, the ring and little fingers hyperextend at the metacarpophalangeal joints and remain flexed at the interphalangeal joints during utensil release. Passive motion is full. Blocking metacarpophalangeal hyperextension restores active interphalangeal extension. Finger abduction is weak, and little-finger sensation is reduced. Which deficit ties these findings together?
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Correct answer: D - Ulnar intrinsic weakness disrupting normal finger joint balance
Question 5
Eight weeks after a distal radius fracture, a client reports disproportionate continuing hand pain, painful contact with clothing, intermittent color and temperature changes, swelling, and altered sweating. Examination reveals edema and sweating asymmetry, with no sensory hypersensitivity, temperature or color asymmetry, motor dysfunction, or trophic change. No better explanation has been identified. When applying the Budapest clinical criteria for complex regional pain syndrome, which statement is accurate?
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Correct answer: C - Observed signs occupy only the sudomotor/edema category, so the clinical criteria are not met.
Domain 2: Activities and Interventions 36% of exam
Question 6
A client with a C6 spinal cord injury has strong wrist extension but no active finger flexion or extension. The client wants to handle a lightweight grooming item without a universal cuff. Which approach uses the available movement to develop functional grasp and release?
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Correct answer: D - Use wrist extension for grasp and wrist flexion for release.
Question 7
An outpatient with stable COPD is prescribed oxygen at 2 L/min during activity, with a target saturation of 88-92%. During dressing, saturation remains at 90% with a reliable signal. The client has familiar mild breathlessness, holds the breath when pulling up pants, and recovers promptly with rest. How should the OT modify the session?
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Correct answer: A - Use seated dressing, exhale during effort, and plan rests while maintaining the prescribed oxygen setting.
Question 8
Six months after a traumatic brain injury, a client can read medication labels and open containers but repeatedly selects the evening dose during a morning simulation. The client cannot identify the error when reviewing the attempt. Immediate step cues produce correct performance; a phone reminder is noticed but dismissed without action. Which initial training approach is most likely to establish a reliable routine?
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Correct answer: C - Establish a consistent, error-reducing routine with step cues and caregiver verification.
Question 9
A power-wheelchair user cannot perform an effective independent weight shift. The pelvis and trunk are well supported at the current seat-to-back angle, but opening that angle with recline causes forward sliding. The OT wants to change the orientation of the supported seating system for pressure redistribution without opening the hip angle. Which feature should be trialed?
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Correct answer: A - Tilt-in-space with the current seat-to-back angle maintained
Domain 3: Service Delivery 14% of exam
Question 10
Discharge planning requires a choice between two clinically suitable bathroom-equipment arrangements. A client with expressive aphasia accurately matches pictures to familiar objects and indicates consistent preferences by pointing, but spoken yes/no responses are unreliable. The spouse asks to make the decision instead. What communication approach preserves the client's participation?
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Correct answer: B - Present the alternatives with pictures and verify the client's understanding and choice.
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The full bank has 1,020 more BCPR questions with explanations.