SCS Flexibility & Mobility Training 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Ankle dorsiflexion restriction during a squat pattern is most commonly compensated by:
- Increased thoracic kyphosis
- Heel rise and lumbar flexion (Correct answer)
- Shoulder elevation
- Increased cervical extension
Correct answer: Heel rise and lumbar flexion
When ankle dorsiflexion is restricted, athletes typically rise onto their heels and flex the lumbar spine excessively to maintain balance during squatting.
Question 2: Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) stretching works primarily through which neurological mechanism?
- Activation of the stretch reflex arc
- Autogenic inhibition and reciprocal inhibition (Correct answer)
- Increased motor unit recruitment
- Enhanced gamma motor neuron firing
Correct answer: Autogenic inhibition and reciprocal inhibition
PNF uses autogenic inhibition (GTO response to contraction) and reciprocal inhibition (relaxation of antagonist during agonist contraction) to achieve greater ROM.
Question 3: Which of the following best describes 'joint mobility' as distinct from 'muscle flexibility'?
- Mobility refers only to passive range while flexibility is active
- Mobility encompasses the ability to actively control movement through a range; flexibility is passive tissue extensibility (Correct answer)
- Mobility and flexibility are interchangeable terms in sport science
- Flexibility is a neuromuscular quality; mobility is purely structural
Correct answer: Mobility encompasses the ability to actively control movement through a range; flexibility is passive tissue extensibility
Mobility is the ability to actively move through a range of motion with motor control, whereas flexibility refers to the passive extensibility of the soft tissue.
Question 4: In a hold-relax PNF protocol, what happens immediately after the isometric contraction phase?
- The athlete performs a ballistic bounce
- The muscle is passively stretched further by the partner (Correct answer)
- The athlete performs a concentric contraction of the agonist
- The stretch is held statically for 60 seconds
Correct answer: The muscle is passively stretched further by the partner
After the 6–10 second isometric contraction, the muscle relaxes due to autogenic inhibition and the partner passively moves the limb into a greater ROM.
Question 5: Which stretching method is most appropriate immediately post-competition to aid recovery?
- Ballistic stretching at high velocity
- Low-intensity static stretching held 20–30 seconds (Correct answer)
- Heavy PNF contract-relax protocol
- Plyometric-based flexibility drills
Correct answer: Low-intensity static stretching held 20–30 seconds
Low-intensity static stretching post-competition helps restore normal muscle length, reduce tension, and initiate parasympathetic recovery without additional stress.
Question 6: The concept of 'regional interdependence' in mobility training suggests that:
- Each joint should be treated in complete isolation
- Mobility restrictions at one joint can cause compensatory problems at adjacent joints (Correct answer)
- Flexibility of upper body muscles does not affect lower body mechanics
- Athletes should only stretch the most restricted muscle group
Correct answer: Mobility restrictions at one joint can cause compensatory problems at adjacent joints
Regional interdependence holds that dysfunction at one body segment often creates compensatory movement patterns and pain at a distant or adjacent segment.
Question 7: For an athlete with poor shoulder external rotation, which tissue is most commonly implicated?
- Anterior deltoid and pectoralis minor (Correct answer)
- Posterior capsule and infraspinatus
- Biceps long head tendon
- Serratus anterior
Correct answer: Anterior deltoid and pectoralis minor
Tightness in the anterior deltoid and pectoralis minor restricts shoulder external rotation and posterior capsule tightness limits internal rotation; anterior structures restrict ER.
SCS Flexibility & Mobility Training 3
Ankle dorsiflexion restriction during a squat pattern is most commonly compensated by: