National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) Practice Exam

If a patient sustained an injury 18 days ago, which stage of healing should they be in?

1. Remodeling

2. Coagulation

3. Inflammatory

4. Proliferative

The correct answer is: Proliferative

In the context of wound healing, a patient who sustained an injury 18 days ago is primarily in the proliferative stage. The healing process is typically divided into three main phases: inflammatory, proliferative, and remodeling. During the inflammatory phase, which lasts for approximately the first few days following an injury, the body focuses on preventing infection and preparing the wound for healing. This phase is characterized by swelling, redness, and pain. Following the inflammatory phase, the proliferative stage begins, usually around days 3 to 5 after the injury, and can last for several weeks. During this phase, the body works to rebuild tissue and restore the integrity of the skin or affected area. New blood vessels form, collagen is laid down, and granulation tissue develops, which serves as a scaffold for new tissue. Given that 18 days have passed since the injury, the patient would have transitioned through the inflammatory stage and is squarely within the proliferative stage. The remodeling phase, which focuses on the maturation and strengthening of the newly formed tissue, occurs later and can extend for months to years after the injury. Thus, stating that the patient is in the proliferative stage of healing accurately reflects the expected healing process at 18 days post-injury.