CPSS Performance and Wellness 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which heart rate variability (HRV) metric is most commonly used to assess parasympathetic nervous system activity and readiness to train?
- SDNN
- RMSSD (Correct answer)
- LF/HF ratio
- Mean RR interval
Correct answer: RMSSD
RMSSD (root mean square of successive differences) is the most sensitive HRV metric for parasympathetic activity and is widely used as a daily readiness marker.
Question 2: An athlete reports persistent fatigue, decreased motivation, and mood disturbances despite adequate sleep. Which wellness screening tool is best suited to track these psychological symptoms over time?
- Borg RPE scale
- Profile of Mood States (POMS) (Correct answer)
- Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index
- OMNI perceived exertion scale
Correct answer: Profile of Mood States (POMS)
The Profile of Mood States (POMS) measures six affective states and is validated for detecting mood disturbances associated with overtraining in athletes.
Question 3: What is the primary physiological mechanism by which chronic sleep restriction impairs athletic recovery?
- Increased parasympathetic tone
- Elevated cortisol and reduced growth hormone secretion (Correct answer)
- Decreased glycogen resynthesis rate
- Reduced lactic acid clearance
Correct answer: Elevated cortisol and reduced growth hormone secretion
Chronic sleep restriction elevates cortisol and suppresses nocturnal growth hormone release, impairing muscle repair and anabolic recovery processes.
Question 4: A sport scientist wants to monitor an athlete's cumulative training load using the Acute:Chronic Workload Ratio (ACWR). What ratio range is generally considered the 'sweet spot' associated with low injury risk?
- 0.5–0.8
- 0.8–1.3 (Correct answer)
- 1.5–2.0
- 2.0–2.5
Correct answer: 0.8–1.3
An ACWR between 0.8 and 1.3 is associated with low injury risk, reflecting a well-prepared athlete with manageable acute stress relative to chronic fitness.
Question 5: Which biomarker, when chronically elevated in blood, is most indicative of non-functional overreaching in endurance athletes?
- Testosterone
- Creatine kinase
- Cortisol-to-testosterone ratio (Correct answer)
- Hemoglobin
Correct answer: Cortisol-to-testosterone ratio
A chronically elevated cortisol-to-testosterone ratio indicates a catabolic state and is one of the strongest hormonal markers of non-functional overreaching.
Question 6: In the context of wellness monitoring, what does a Hooper Index questionnaire measure?
- Aerobic capacity and VO2max
- Sleep quality, stress, fatigue, and muscle soreness (Correct answer)
- Nutritional adequacy and hydration status
- Psychological resilience and self-efficacy
Correct answer: Sleep quality, stress, fatigue, and muscle soreness
The Hooper Index is a validated daily wellness questionnaire that assesses sleep quality, stress, fatigue, and muscle soreness on a Likert scale.
Question 7: Which recovery modality primarily works by reducing interstitial edema and facilitating lymphatic drainage through cyclical compression and decompression?
- Cold water immersion
- Intermittent pneumatic compression (Correct answer)
- Foam rolling
- Contrast water therapy
Correct answer: Intermittent pneumatic compression
Intermittent pneumatic compression devices use sequential inflation to mechanically drive fluid from the periphery and enhance lymphatic flow.
CPSS Performance and Wellness 2
Which heart rate variability (HRV) metric is most commonly used to assess parasympathetic nervous system activity and readiness to train?