NBCE Part 3 Chiro Exam Prep Exam Questions & Answers 2026 (1–10)

Question 1

A 55-year-old male patient reports sharp, shooting pain from the lower back radiating down the posterior aspect of the right leg to the lateral foot. Which nerve root is most likely involved?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

S1. The S1 nerve root innervates the posterior leg and lateral foot. Pain radiating along this dermatomal pattern strongly suggests S1 nerve root involvement.

Question 2

A patient with chronic neck pain reports dizziness and nausea when turning her head to the left. Which test would be most appropriate to assess for vertebrobasilar insufficiency?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Vertebral Artery Test. The Vertebral Artery Test (VAT) specifically evaluates blood flow through the vertebral arteries during cervical rotation and extension, helping identify potential vertebrobasilar insufficiency.

Question 3

Which blood test would be most appropriate to evaluate for an inflammatory condition in a patient with morning stiffness and multiple joint pain?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR). Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) is a non-specific marker of inflammation that is often elevated in inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory arthropathies.

Question 4

A patient presents with severe headaches, low back pain, and significant fatigue. Which of the following would be most important to measure during the physical exam?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Blood pressure. Blood pressure measurement is critical in a patient with severe headaches and fatigue as these symptoms could indicate hypertension, which may be a serious underlying cause requiring medical referral.

Question 5

Which finding would contraindicate high-velocity, low-amplitude manipulation to the cervical spine?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Upper motor neuron signs. Upper motor neuron signs such as hyperreflexia, spasticity, and positive Babinski are indicative of central nervous system pathology that would contraindicate high-velocity, low-amplitude manipulation of the cervical spine.

Question 6

Which orthopedic test is most specific for diagnosing a lumbar disc herniation?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Straight Leg Raise. The straight leg raise (SLR) test has high specificity for lumbar disc herniation, especially when it reproduces the patient's radicular symptoms at less than 60 degrees of elevation.

Question 7

A 62-year-old female with a history of breast cancer reports new-onset mid-thoracic pain that is worse at night and unrelieved by rest. What is the most appropriate next step?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Immediate referral for advanced imaging. New-onset thoracic pain that is worse at night and unrelieved by rest in a patient with a history of cancer raises suspicion for metastatic disease. Immediate referral for advanced imaging is necessary to rule out spinal metastasis.

Question 8

Which of the following activities would be most appropriate to recommend for a patient recovering from an acute lumbar strain/sprain injury?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Short, frequent walks. Short, frequent walks promote blood flow and healing without placing excessive stress on injured tissues, and help prevent deconditioning during recovery from an acute lumbar strain/sprain.

Question 9

A patient presents with numbness and tingling in the thumb, index, and middle fingers. Which nerve is most likely compressed?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Median nerve. The median nerve innervates the thumb, index, middle finger, and lateral half of the ring finger. Compression of this nerve, often at the carpal tunnel, causes these characteristic symptoms.

Question 10

Which laboratory finding would be most concerning in a patient presenting with low back pain and unexplained weight loss?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Elevated PSA in a male patient. An elevated PSA in a male patient with back pain and weight loss raises significant concern for prostate cancer with possible metastasis to the spine, warranting immediate referral.

NBCE Part 3 Chiro Exam Prep Exam Questions & Answers 2026 (1–10)

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