The patient is a 21-year-old white man who was transferred t…

The patient is a 21-year-old white man who was transferred to a rehabilitation hospital yesterday. He suffered a traumatic cervical spinal cord injury 8 days ago. He was given methylprednisolone in the emergency department. He had surgery to stabilize the fracture site, internal fixation and decompression using a right iliac bone graft. He was discharged to your facility yesterday and is currently wearing a Philadelphia collar. He is able to extend his elbows but cannot flex his fingers in either hand. He is a senior in college, majoring in computer science. He lives in an on-campus apartment, which is not wheelchair accessible. His parents live in the next state.   Motor Performance: Bilateral: biceps, 5/5; wrist extensors, 5/5; triceps, 4/5; no active contraction below C7   Sensory Integrity: Intact pinprick and light touch bilaterally C2–T4, absent below T4 Intact anal sensation   What is the patient’s neurological level of injury, motor level of injury, and sensory level of injury?

A PTA is working with a T1 SCI patient on progressions of wh…

A PTA is working with a T1 SCI patient on progressions of wheelchair mechanics in the rehabilitation gym. The PTA notices that the patient begins to demonstrate profuse sweating in areas above the injury, constricted pupils, and restlessness. The patient also reports a dull headache and blurred vision. The PTA should recognize these as signs of what condition? 

A PTA is working in an outpatient facility with a patient wh…

A PTA is working in an outpatient facility with a patient who suffered a brain injury 3 months ago. The tasks being attempted is standing up from a chair, walking to the counter (across the clinic), retrieving a glass of water, and bringing the item back to the original location and sitting down – such as they do normally at home. However, the patient is struggling with keeping balance while holding the glass of water and walking back to the chair.    Which of the following activities could the PTA do with the patient to help improve this difficult portion of the task? 

A PTA is scheduled to treat a patient who sustained a T10 SC…

A PTA is scheduled to treat a patient who sustained a T10 SCI 4 days ago secondary to a fracture.  The PT goal includes maintain PROM of LE’s and the POC calls for PROM of LE’s.  Which of the following BEST describes the appropriate action for the PTA to take?