ATC Rehabilitation 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An athlete recovering from a hamstring strain should begin running when they can perform which activity pain-free?
- Full passive straight leg raise
- Single-leg Romanian deadlift with full body weight (Correct answer)
- Seated knee flexion with resistance
- Standing hip extension against gravity
Correct answer: Single-leg Romanian deadlift with full body weight
Pain-free single-leg Romanian deadlift demonstrates adequate eccentric hamstring strength and load tolerance needed to safely progress to running.
Question 2: What does the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) primarily assess?
- Quadriceps strength
- Dynamic postural control and neuromuscular function (Correct answer)
- Ankle dorsiflexion range of motion
- Hip flexor flexibility
Correct answer: Dynamic postural control and neuromuscular function
The SEBT assesses dynamic postural control and neuromuscular function by measuring reach distance in multiple directions during single-leg stance.
Question 3: Which phase of tissue healing is characterized by collagen fiber deposition and remodeling?
- Inflammatory phase
- Proliferative phase
- Maturation/remodeling phase (Correct answer)
- Hemostasis phase
Correct answer: Maturation/remodeling phase
The maturation/remodeling phase involves reorganization of collagen fibers along lines of stress and improvement of tensile strength over months to years.
Question 4: A football lineman has chronic low back pain. Which core stabilization exercise should be introduced FIRST in a rehabilitation program?
- Full sit-ups with added weight
- Dead bug exercise in supine (Correct answer)
- Barbell back squat
- Medicine ball rotational throws
Correct answer: Dead bug exercise in supine
The dead bug exercise is a low-load foundational core stabilization exercise that teaches neuromuscular control without spinal compressive loading.
Question 5: Which modality uses high-frequency sound waves to promote tissue healing and reduce pain in rehabilitation?
- TENS
- Therapeutic ultrasound (Correct answer)
- Infrared phototherapy
- Electrical muscle stimulation
Correct answer: Therapeutic ultrasound
Therapeutic ultrasound delivers high-frequency sound waves that create thermal and mechanical effects to promote tissue healing and reduce pain.
Question 6: When rehabilitating an athlete after a lateral ankle sprain, which balance training progression is MOST appropriate to follow?
- Single-leg unstable → bilateral stable → bilateral unstable
- Bilateral stable → bilateral unstable → single-leg stable → single-leg unstable (Correct answer)
- Single-leg stable only throughout
- Begin immediately with eyes-closed single-leg drills
Correct answer: Bilateral stable → bilateral unstable → single-leg stable → single-leg unstable
Balance training should progress from bilateral stable surfaces to unstable surfaces, then to single-leg stable and unstable to systematically challenge neuromuscular control.
Question 7: What is the purpose of blood flow restriction (BFR) training in rehabilitation?
- Maximize cardiovascular fitness
- Achieve hypertrophic and strength gains with low loads (Correct answer)
- Prevent post-surgical infection
- Measure limb circumference changes
Correct answer: Achieve hypertrophic and strength gains with low loads
BFR training applies external pressure to restrict venous outflow, allowing low-load exercise to stimulate muscle hypertrophy and strength similar to high-load training.
ATC Rehabilitation 4
An athlete recovering from a hamstring strain should begin running when they can perform which activity pain-free?