National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) Special Practice Exam

A positive Tinel's sign is an important clinical finding that indicates irritation or damage to a nerve. Specifically, it is most commonly associated with the presence of neuropathy related to the median nerve, particularly in cases of carpal tunnel syndrome, though it can apply to other nerves as well.

In the case of a positive Tinel's sign at the wrist, tapping over the median nerve leads to tingling or a "pins and needles" sensation along the median nerve distribution, which supports the notion of nerve irritation or entrapment. When referring specifically to the tibial nerve, a positive Tinel's sign would indicate similarly that the nerve is being affected, which might occur, for example, at the tarsal tunnel.

The other options provided do not align with what the Tinel's sign specifically assesses. Pain in the biceps tendon area pertains more to issues within the shoulder or biceps pathology rather than nerve irritation. Weakness in the supraspinatus muscle relates to rotator cuff pathology and doesn't have a direct correlation with Tinel's sign. Similarly, shoulder instability is characterized by a person's inability to maintain the glenohumeral joint position and is not assessed by Tinel's test. Thus, the correct identification of a