National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) Practice Exam

Which special test should a physical therapist assistant NOT expect to see for a patient with medial elbow tendinopathy?

1. Reverse Cozen test

2. Maudsley test

3. Polk test

4. All of the above

The correct answer is: Maudsley test

The Maudsley test is designed specifically to assess lateral elbow tendinopathy, commonly known as "tennis elbow." In a patient with medial elbow tendinopathy, which is characterized by pain on the inside of the elbow typically due to overuse or strain on the muscles that originate from the medial epicondyle, the Maudsley test would not be relevant or expected. On the other hand, the Reverse Cozen test and the Polk test are more focused on the conditions involving the medial aspect of the elbow and are thus more appropriate for evaluating medial elbow tendinopathy. The Reverse Cozen test is a variation that places stress on the medial structures, while the Polk test is also instrumental in diagnosing this specific type of tendinopathy. Hence, the selection of the Maudsley test aligns with its function of evaluating the opposite condition (lateral tendinopathy), leading to the understanding that it would not be expected in a patient presenting with medial elbow tendinopathy.