BOC Preparatory Question Answers
1. C) Numbness or tingling in either or both hands in cold weather is a symptom of Raynaud's Syndrome, which is bilateral episodic spasms of the digital blood vessels. The cause is usually idopathic.
2. E) Significant height, an arm span that is greater than the individual's height, pectus carinatum or excavatum, a high-arched palate, and myopia are all signs of Marfan syndrome.
3. D) The liver participates in the metabolism of carbohydrates, detoxifies the blood of metabolic by-products, and produces albumin, clotting factors, and plasma transport proteins.
4. C) As a result of prolonged training and conditioning, the heart may increase in size to meet the increased demands.
5. A) An antioxidant is a nutrient that may be found in high amounts in fruits and vegetables and may protect the cells in the body from the detrimental effects of naturally occurring agents, such as oxygen.
6. E) Malaria is transmitted through blood/body fluids.
7. A) An athlete with mononucleosis will present with an enlarged spleen, which is susceptible to rupture while playing a sport.
8. B) A pneumothorax occurs when there is the presence of air within the chest cavity in the pleural space but outside the lung. In an intact chest, a pneumothorax can occur if a fractured rib has lacerated a lung or spontaneously if the athlete has a congenitally weakened area on the surface of the lung, which may rupture without antecedent trauma. Sudden chest pain and difficulty breathing as the lung collapses are major signs of a spontaneous pneumothorax.
9. D) Candida is a yeast infection that causes vaginitis.
10. A) Consuming a simple sugar prior to an event will stimulate the pancreas to produce high levels of insulin, which in turn will cause a sudden reduction in blood glucose.
11. A) The poper position for the fist that is resting on the athlete's body is on the abdomen between the xyphoid process and the umbilicus.
12. C) Heat stroke is considered a medical emergency. Heat stroke results in severe hyperthermia with the failure of the thermoregulatory system. This condition does not spontaneously reverse its course, and the athlete may die without immediate medical attention.
13. E) Flank pain, difficulty/inability to void, and hematuria are all signs of kidney, bladder, or urethra injury.
14. A) Although total immobilization of the ribs is not possible, a rib belt or rib taping may help minimize movement and make the athlete more comfortable.
15. E) Mast cells and platelets release histamine and serotonin during the reaction phase of an acute injury.
16. A) Epinephrine is a sympathomimetic drug that may be delivered via an injective device, such as an Epi-pen, to halt an anaphylactic reaction.
17. B) The primary reason an athletic trainer would perform pulmonary auscultation is to identify potential abnormal breath sounds that would indicate a pathological condition.
18. E) Dysuria, an urgency to urinate, decreased urine volume, nocturia, back pain, pyuria, or hematuria all indicate the athlete has cyctitis, which is a bladder infection.
19. B) Confusion, dizziness, apprehension, and diaphoresis are all signs of insulin shock. Any diabetic athlete who does not respond favorably within 2-3 minutes of receiving sugar should be transported immediately to the hospital.
20. A) A sudden onset of chest pain, dyspnea, hemoptysis, and cyanosis is highly suspect for a pneumothorax.
(Ost, Manfre, Lew, 2009)