National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) Practice Exam

Proprioception is likely affected in a patient unable to sense and name letters drawn on their hand. Which sensation correlates with that impairment?

1. Temperature sensation

2. Joint proprioception

3. Pain sensation

4. Crude touch sensation

The correct answer is: Joint proprioception

Proprioception is the body’s ability to perceive its own position in space, which greatly relies on sensory feedback from the musculoskeletal system, particularly from joint receptors, muscle spindles, and Golgi tendon organs. When a patient is unable to sense and name letters drawn on their hand, it indicates a disruption in tactile perception, specifically in the interpretation of proprioceptive input. The inability to recognize the drawn letters suggests an impairment in the integration of sensory feedback from the limbs, crucial for proprioception. Joint proprioception specifically refers to the awareness of position and movement of joints, allowing an individual to know the location of their limbs without visual input. This relates directly to the capacity to recognize patterns or letters felt through the skin. While temperature sensation, pain sensation, and crude touch sensation involve different pathways of sensory processing, they do not directly correlate with the specific disruption in proprioception that affects the ability to identify letters drawn on the hand. Thus, when evaluating the sensation that correlates with the impairment seen in this scenario, joint proprioception is the most relevant and accurate choice.