ACSM ACSM Corrective Exercise Specialist 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Foam rolling (self-myofascial release) works primarily by stimulating which sensory receptor to reduce muscle tension?
- Muscle spindles
- Golgi tendon organs (GTOs) (Correct answer)
- Ruffini endings
- Meissner's corpuscles
Correct answer: Golgi tendon organs (GTOs)
Sustained pressure from foam rolling stimulates GTOs, triggering autogenic inhibition and reducing muscle tension.
Question 2: A single-leg squat assessment reveals the client's hip drops on the non-stance side (Trendelenburg sign). Which muscle is most likely weak?
- Gluteus maximus on the stance side
- Gluteus medius on the stance side (Correct answer)
- Tensor fasciae latae on the swing side
- Adductor longus on the stance side
Correct answer: Gluteus medius on the stance side
Gluteus medius weakness on the stance side fails to stabilize the pelvis, causing the contralateral hip to drop.
Question 3: In neuromuscular efficiency, which concept refers to the ability of the neuromuscular system to allow agonists, antagonists, and stabilizers to work synergistically?
- Reciprocal inhibition (Correct answer)
- Synergistic dominance
- Integrated stabilization
- Relative flexibility
Correct answer: Reciprocal inhibition
Reciprocal inhibition describes the agonist's neural signal that simultaneously inhibits the antagonist, allowing coordinated movement.
Question 4: A client with upper crossed syndrome would most benefit from activation and strengthening of which muscles?
- Upper trapezius and levator scapulae
- Pectoralis major and minor
- Deep cervical flexors and lower trapezius (Correct answer)
- Sternocleidomastoid and scalenes
Correct answer: Deep cervical flexors and lower trapezius
Upper crossed syndrome involves underactive deep cervical flexors and lower trapezius, which need targeted strengthening.
Question 5: Which phase of the corrective exercise continuum involves integrated, multi-planar exercises to re-educate movement patterns?
- Inhibit
- Lengthen
- Activate
- Integrate (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Integrate
The Integrate phase uses compound, full-body movements to embed corrected motor patterns into functional activity.
Question 6: Altered reciprocal inhibition occurs when a tight muscle inhibits its functional antagonist. Which example best illustrates this?
- Tight hamstrings inhibiting the quadriceps
- Tight hip flexors inhibiting the gluteus maximus (Correct answer)
- Tight calves inhibiting the tibialis anterior
- Tight pectorals inhibiting the deltoids
Correct answer: Tight hip flexors inhibiting the gluteus maximus
Overactive hip flexors neurologically inhibit the gluteus maximus, reducing its ability to produce hip extension force.
Question 7: During the push assessment (push-up), a client's scapulae wing outward. Which muscle is most underactive?
- Rhomboids
- Serratus anterior (Correct answer)
- Pectoralis minor
- Subscapularis
Correct answer: Serratus anterior
The serratus anterior is responsible for scapular protraction and stabilization against the thorax; weakness causes winging.
ACSM ACSM Corrective Exercise Specialist 3
Foam rolling (self-myofascial release) works primarily by stimulating which sensory receptor to reduce muscle tension?