NSCA-CPT Corrective Exercise 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A client's foot externally rotates during a squat. Which tissue is most likely overactive?
- Posterior tibialis
- Peroneus longus/brevis (Correct answer)
- Biceps femoris (short head)
- Medial gastrocnemius
Correct answer: Peroneus longus/brevis
Overactive peroneals evert and externally rotate the foot, altering lower-extremity alignment during squatting.
Question 2: When using the overhead squat assessment, excessive forward lean of the torso (not arms falling) most likely indicates overactivity in which muscle?
- Soleus (Correct answer)
- Hip flexor complex
- Thoracic erector spinae
- Anterior tibialis
Correct answer: Soleus
An overactive soleus limits ankle dorsiflexion, forcing the trunk to lean forward to maintain balance.
Question 3: In a corrective exercise program for knee valgus, which integration exercise is most appropriate after inhibiting, lengthening, and activating?
- Leg extension machine
- Single-leg squat with hip abduction resistance band (Correct answer)
- Seated hip adduction machine
- Bilateral squat with feet together
Correct answer: Single-leg squat with hip abduction resistance band
A single-leg squat with a resistance band around the knees integrates gluteus medius activation into a functional movement pattern.
Question 4: Which assessment best isolates ankle dorsiflexion mobility as a compensatory cause of movement dysfunction?
- Overhead squat assessment
- Single-leg squat assessment
- Weight-bearing lunge test (Correct answer)
- Gait analysis
Correct answer: Weight-bearing lunge test
The weight-bearing lunge test specifically measures ankle dorsiflexion range of motion in a functional, weight-bearing position.
Question 5: Autogenic inhibition is the neurological mechanism behind which corrective technique?
- Active-isolated stretching
- Reciprocal inhibition stretching
- Self-myofascial release (SMR) (Correct answer)
- Ballistic stretching
Correct answer: Self-myofascial release (SMR)
SMR applies sustained pressure to trigger Golgi tendon organ activation, causing autogenic inhibition of the muscle spindle.
Question 6: A personal trainer notices that a client's low back rounds (flexes) at the bottom of a squat. Which muscle is most likely inhibited?
- Rectus femoris
- Thoracolumbar fascia
- Gluteus maximus (Correct answer)
- Iliopsoas
Correct answer: Gluteus maximus
Inhibited gluteus maximus forces the lumbar spine to flex as the pelvis posteriorly tilts to generate hip extension force.
Question 7: Which of the following is the correct order of the corrective exercise continuum?
- Activate → Inhibit → Lengthen → Integrate
- Inhibit → Lengthen → Activate → Integrate (Correct answer)
- Lengthen → Inhibit → Integrate → Activate
- Integrate → Activate → Lengthen → Inhibit
Correct answer: Inhibit → Lengthen → Activate → Integrate
The NSCA-CPT corrective continuum progresses from Inhibit (SMR) → Lengthen (stretch) → Activate (isolated exercises) → Integrate (compound movements).
NSCA-CPT Corrective Exercise 4
A client's foot externally rotates during a squat.
Which tissue is most likely overactive?