Free CES Practice Questions

Question 1

During a slow forward weight shift over a planted foot, the heel remains down while the tibia advances. An instructor argues that the calf cannot contribute because the foot is not pointing downward. What role can the soleus play in this task?

Accepted Answer

Restrain the tibia's forward travel over the fixed foot.

Answer

Pull the shin forward over the foot as it shortens.

Answer

Hold the ankle isometrically because the heel remains grounded.

Answer

Relax while the dorsiflexors brake the tibia's forward travel.

Question 2

During a half-kneeling hip-flexor stretch, a client moves farther forward by tipping the pelvis anteriorly and arching the lower back. The trailing hip gains no further extension, and the movement is painless. Replace the cue 'lunge farther' with an instruction that preserves the purpose of the stretch.

Accepted Answer

Brace the abdomen, squeeze the trailing buttock, and reduce the forward shift.

Answer

Lift the chest and look upward while maintaining the forward lunge.

Answer

Move the front foot farther away and press the pelvis toward the floor.

Answer

Keep the pelvis tipped forward and pull the rear heel toward the buttock.

Question 3

At follow-up, a 76-year-old completes the Timed Up and Go in 15.4 seconds, compared with 19.1 seconds initially. Both trials use the same armchair, regular footwear and usual cane: on 'go,' the client stands, walks 3 meters at a normal pace, turns, returns and sits. Timing ends when the client is seated. How should the follow-up result be interpreted using CDC STEADI guidance?

Accepted Answer

Performance is faster, but the result still indicates increased fall risk.

Answer

The shorter time clears the client for unsupported balance training.

Answer

The usual cane makes both results unsuitable for the screening threshold.

Answer

The remaining delay identifies lower-limb weakness as the cause of the fall risk.

Question 4

Without resistance, a client externally rotates the shoulder through the intended exercise range while keeping the trunk still. With a band, the last part of the movement comes from turning the trunk; the elbow stays beside the body. Neither version causes symptoms. Which adjustment addresses the limitation demonstrated by this comparison?

Accepted Answer

Use lighter band resistance without compensatory trunk rotation.

Answer

Discontinue shoulder loading until a clinician clears the movement pattern.

Answer

Stretch into additional external rotation before repeating the band exercise.

Answer

Apply ball pressure before seeking more shoulder rotation.

Question 5

A client performs two-leg heel raises with light fingertip support for balance. Full-height repetitions and controlled lowering have become easy. The next goal is greater resistance per working calf while keeping balance demands low. Select the progression that best preserves that priority.

Accepted Answer

Trial one-leg heel raises while retaining the stable handhold.

Answer

Continue on two legs while gradually removing the handhold.

Answer

Keep two-leg heel raises and move onto an unstable pad.

Answer

Keep both feet working and add a pause at the top of each raise.

Question 6

An assessment note describes 'more anterior pelvic tilt' because a client's pelvis sits farther forward over the feet. In the side-view comparison, the anterior superior iliac spine and posterior superior iliac spine have shifted forward together; their relative heights and the lumbar curve are unchanged. Which description fits the recorded change?

Accepted Answer

Anterior pelvic translation

Answer

Increased anterior pelvic rotation

Answer

Increased posterior pelvic rotation

Answer

Increased lumbar spinal extension

Question 7

Immediately after calf rolling, a client has greater ankle dorsiflexion when reassessed with the same setup and instructions. The client asks, 'Does that tell us what was restricting my ankle?' Choose the explanation supported by this result.

Accepted Answer

More motion is available, but this result does not identify the limiting tissue.

Answer

The pressure released fascial adhesions that were limiting ankle movement.

Answer

The response identifies the calf, rather than the joint, as the restricted tissue.

Answer

The calf is inhibited, so strengthening must wait for its resting tone to return.

Question 8

To make an arm exercise easier, an instructor replaces a 40 N hand-held load with a 30 N load. At the same time, the load's perpendicular distance from the shoulder increases from 0.15 m to 0.30 m. Consider only the external shoulder torque produced by the hand-held load. Does this revision achieve the intended reduction?

Accepted Answer

No; torque rises from 6 to 9 N·m, so the revision increases demand.

Answer

Yes; torque falls from 6 to 4.5 N·m, so the revision is a regression.

Answer

Yes; torque falls from 12 to 9 N·m, so the revision is a regression.

Answer

No; torque remains 6 N·m because the two changes offset each other.

Question 9

A wall-supported scapular push-up looks like an ordinary push-up: the client's elbows bend and straighten while the shoulder blades barely move. The trunk remains controlled and the exercise is comfortable. The missing instruction is to:

Accepted Answer

move the shoulder blades together and apart with elbows straight.

Answer

keep the shoulder blades together and slow the elbow movement.

Answer

keep the elbows straight and raise the shoulders toward the ears.

Answer

keep the shoulder blades fixed and move the feet farther from the wall.

Question 10

A client with assessed knee osteoarthritis follows a clinician's exercise plan permitting mild discomfort if it does not build during sets and usual symptoms return by the next morning. Supported sit-to-stands produce a steady 2/10 ache with controlled technique and no new swelling. Morning symptoms and walking ability remain at baseline. The client wants to stop because the ache must mean joint damage. What recommendation fits these findings?

Accepted Answer

Continue the agreed dose, monitoring symptoms and everyday function.

Answer

Replace strengthening with stretching until the knee is entirely symptom-free.

Answer

Suspend lower-body exercise until new knee imaging has been reviewed.

Answer

Increase resistance because next-morning recovery establishes readiness to progress.

Free CES Practice Questions

Domain 1: The Fundamentals of Structural Assessment

Question 1

Question 2

Domain 2: Understanding Muscles and Movement

Question 3

Question 4

Domain 3: The Fundamentals of Corrective Exercise

Question 5

Question 6

Question 7

Domain 4: The Complete Corrective Exercise Library

Question 8

Question 9

Domain 5: Corrective Exercise Program Design

Question 10

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