A therapist schedules a patient with Parkinson disease for gait training at 7:00 AM. The patient arrives drowsy, reports sleeping poorly, and has not yet taken morning carbidopa-levodopa. The therapist proceeds with the planned high-intensity locomotor training session. Which neuroplasticity gating principle is MOST violated by this clinical decision?

A therapist notices that a patient performs sit-to-stand more smoothly when given the cue “Push the floor away with your feet” compared with “Extend your knees and hips.” Which motor learning principle BEST explains this difference?

A therapist gradually reduces feedback frequency over a series of treatment sessions: feedback after every trial in session 1, every other trial in session 2, every third trial in session 3, and only when the patient requests it in session 4. This feedback schedule is BEST described as:

A patient with chronic stroke has adequate motor capacity in the affected upper extremity but consistently uses only the unaffected arm for all functional tasks. The affected arm rests in the lap during meals, grooming, and dressing. Which neuroplastic phenomenon is MOST concerning, and which intervention principle MOST directly addresses it?

A therapist observes two patients with stroke who both demonstrate difficulty with sit-to-stand. Patient A demonstrates delayed initiation and reduced anterior weight shift. Patient B demonstrates adequate initiation but collapses into the chair during the lowering phase. Which of the following BEST reflects systems-theory reasoning?

According to Bernstein’s concept of “repetition without repetition,” which of the following BEST describes skilled motor performance?

A patient with cerebellar ataxia demonstrates variable foot placement, overshooting targets during reaching, and increased postural sway during standing. The therapist wants to classify the observed movement problems using ANPT movement constructs. Which combination of constructs is MOST appropriate?

A physical therapist observes a patient with a left CVA performing sit-to-stand. The patient demonstrates excessive forward trunk lean, bilateral upper extremity push-off, and a widened base of support. The therapist documents: “Patient demonstrates poor balance during sit-to-stand.” Which of the following should have been the MOST appropriate revision to this documentation?

A therapist designs a treatment session for a patient 3 weeks after stroke. The session includes: 5 sit-to-stand repetitions, 10 minutes of passive stretching, 5 minutes of conversation about the patient’s weekend, 5 repetitions of seated upper extremity AROM, and 5 additional sit-to-stand repetitions. Total session time is 40 minutes. Which of the following is the MOST significant limitation of this session from a neuroplasticity perspective?

A patient demonstrates excellent obstacle negotiation in the therapy gym during blocked practice but trips over a threshold when walking to the bathroom on the unit. Which practice modification is MOST likely to improve real-world performance?