NSCA CSCS Injury Prevention 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary mechanism by which adequate sleep reduces athletic injury risk?
- Sleep increases serum cortisol to stimulate tissue repair
- Sleep facilitates hormonal release (GH, testosterone) and neural recovery, reducing tissue vulnerability (Correct answer)
- Sleep improves lactic acid clearance during exercise
- Sleep reduces the need for warm-up before training
Correct answer: Sleep facilitates hormonal release (GH, testosterone) and neural recovery, reducing tissue vulnerability
Adequate sleep promotes growth hormone secretion and neural recovery, maintaining tissue integrity and neuromuscular coordination needed for injury prevention.
Question 2: Which mechanism explains why fatigue during a game's fourth quarter elevates ACL injury risk?
- Fatigue causes increased muscle stiffness that protects joints
- Fatigue degrades neuromuscular control, reducing protective muscle co-contraction around the knee (Correct answer)
- Fatigue reduces blood pressure, limiting ligament perfusion
- Fatigue increases joint laxity by raising body temperature
Correct answer: Fatigue degrades neuromuscular control, reducing protective muscle co-contraction around the knee
Muscular fatigue impairs neuromuscular control and joint stabilization, increasing ligament loading during cutting and landing tasks.
Question 3: An athlete recovering from a grade II hamstring strain returns to sport. Which criterion is MOST important before full clearance?
- Pain-free passive hip flexion with knee straight
- Hamstring-to-quadriceps strength ratio restored and limb symmetry >90% on functional tests (Correct answer)
- Return of full lumbar mobility
- Normal MRI appearance only
Correct answer: Hamstring-to-quadriceps strength ratio restored and limb symmetry >90% on functional tests
Functional criteria including strength ratios and limb symmetry index are more predictive of safe return than pain-free passive range alone.
Question 4: Which nutritional deficiency is most strongly linked to increased stress fracture risk in female athletes?
- Iron deficiency alone
- Calcium and vitamin D deficiency in the context of low energy availability (Correct answer)
- Magnesium deficiency alone
- Vitamin C deficiency
Correct answer: Calcium and vitamin D deficiency in the context of low energy availability
Low energy availability combined with calcium and vitamin D deficiency impairs bone remodeling, substantially increasing stress fracture risk (Female Athlete Triad).
Question 5: Which ankle position creates the greatest risk for lateral ankle sprain during athletic cutting movements?
- Dorsiflexion with eversion
- Plantarflexion with inversion (Correct answer)
- Neutral with pronation
- Dorsiflexion with neutral rotation
Correct answer: Plantarflexion with inversion
Plantarflexion with inversion places maximum tension on the lateral ankle ligaments (ATFL) in their most vulnerable position.
Question 6: Single-leg squat assessments reveal that a female volleyball player's knee collapses medially. Which corrective exercise is MOST appropriate to target the primary deficit?
- Seated leg extension machine
- Clamshells and lateral band walks targeting hip abductors (Correct answer)
- Bilateral back squat with heavy load
- Standing calf raises
Correct answer: Clamshells and lateral band walks targeting hip abductors
Hip abductor strengthening exercises directly address the deficit causing medial knee collapse (dynamic valgus) during single-leg loading.
Question 7: What does the term 'relative energy deficiency in sport' (RED-S) describe in the context of injury prevention?
- Acute dehydration during competition
- Impaired physiological function from chronically low energy availability relative to training demands (Correct answer)
- Inadequate protein intake for muscle repair only
- Overhydration causing electrolyte dilution
Correct answer: Impaired physiological function from chronically low energy availability relative to training demands
RED-S encompasses the broad health and performance consequences of low energy availability, including increased injury risk through impaired bone health and tissue repair.
NSCA CSCS Injury Prevention 4
What is the primary mechanism by which adequate sleep reduces athletic injury risk?