ISSA Corrective Exercise Specialist flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Kinetic chain

The interconnected nervous, muscular, articular, and fascial systems that produce and control movement, so dysfunction at one link alters force distribution throughout the body.

Regional interdependence

The principle that dysfunction in one body region contributes to compensations and symptoms in a distant region, such as limited ankle mobility affecting lumbar loading.

Davis's law

Soft tissue remodels according to the mechanical stresses placed on it, so chronically held postures gradually become structural tissue adaptations.

Joint-by-joint model

An alternating mobility-stability framework: ankle mobile, knee stable, hip mobile, lumbar stable, thoracic mobile, scapula stable, shoulder mobile.

Overhead squat screen

A bilateral assessment of ankle and hip mobility, thoracic extension, and lumbo-pelvic control that reveals symmetry and compensation under load.

Single-leg squat screen

A unilateral test that exposes frontal-plane knee valgus, hip abductor and external rotator control, and side-to-side ankle stability differences.

Bilateral comparison rule

Comparing left and right measurements is more clinically informative than an absolute value, because side-to-side asymmetry often marks the dysfunctional side.

Retest principle

Repeating the same screen after a corrective block confirms whether the intervention changed movement quality rather than relying on subjective report alone.

Plumb-line landmarks

Reference points for static posture: external auditory meatus, acromion, greater trochanter, slightly anterior to the knee, and just anterior to the lateral malleolus.

Upper crossed syndrome

A posture pattern of forward head, increased cervical lordosis, and rounded shoulders, with tight pectorals and weak deep cervical flexors.

Lower crossed syndrome

An anterior pelvic tilt pattern with tight hip flexors and lumbar erectors paired with weak abdominals and gluteals.

Pronation distortion syndrome

A pattern of foot pronation, knee valgus, and internal femoral rotation, associated with tight peroneals, TFL, and adductors.

Length-tension relationship

A muscle generates peak active tension near its resting length, and chronic shortening or lengthening reduces its force-producing capacity.

Reciprocal inhibition

Contraction of an agonist reflexively reduces motor drive to the antagonist, so chronic hypertonicity suppresses the opposing muscle's activation.

Autogenic inhibition

Sustained tension in a muscle, sensed by the Golgi tendon organ, reduces that same muscle's motor drive, forming the basis of contract-relax stretching.

Synergistic dominance

A synergist substitutes for a weak or inhibited prime mover, producing faulty movement and overuse of the substituting muscle.

Arthrogenic inhibition

Joint pain or effusion reflexively reduces activation of surrounding musculature, commonly seen after knee or ankle injury.

Inhibit phase

The first corrective step, using self-myofascial release or inhibitory techniques for roughly 30 to 90 seconds to reduce overactive tissue tone.

Lengthen phase

The second corrective step, applying static or neuromuscular stretching, typically about 30 seconds per set, to the identified overactive tissue.

Activate phase

The third corrective step, isolating and strengthening the underactive muscle with controlled repetitions before loading the full movement pattern.

Integrate phase

The final corrective step, retraining the corrected pattern under load or speed and progressing from isolated drills to full-body movement.

Corrective block duration

A corrective program typically runs four to six weeks before formal retesting, with one or two priority dysfunctions addressed at a time.

PNF contract-relax

A stretching method using a five to ten second isometric contraction of the target muscle followed by a relaxed stretch, exploiting autogenic inhibition.

Foam rolling duration rule

Keeping self-myofascial release under roughly 60 seconds per area acutely increases range of motion without meaningful performance decrement.

Mobility versus flexibility

Flexibility is available range of motion, while mobility is range of motion actively controlled under load; the latter is the training goal.

Local stabilizers

Deep muscles such as transversus abdominis, multifidus, pelvic floor, and diaphragm that provide segmental stiffness rather than producing large torque.

Drawing-in maneuver

A low-load activation of deep trunk stabilizers with minimal spinal motion, distinct from a full bracing strategy used for heavy loads.

Anti-rotation exercise

A stability drill such as the Pallof press that resists rotational force while the spine remains still, training control without generating spinal motion.

Scapular stability priority

Scapular control, especially serratus anterior and lower trapezius activation, should precede overhead glenohumeral loading in corrective programming.

Knee valgus correction

Release adductors and TFL, activate gluteus medius and maximus, then integrate control into squat and single-leg patterns.

Osteoporosis precautions

Avoid loaded spinal flexion, rotation, and combined flexion-rotation; favor hip hinge, extension, and axial loading within individual tolerance.

Red flags for referral

Night pain, unexplained weight loss, progressive neurological deficit, bowel or bladder changes, or fever with joint pain require medical referral before training.