Injury Risk Reduction and Corrective Exercise
This domain tests how to reduce injury risk with biomechanical reasoning: load management, movement quality, strength deficits, and corrective exercise. Expect questions on when to correct, when to strengthen, and when to refer.
Core rules
- Injury risk is multifactorial: load, tissue capacity, technique, fatigue, and previous injury.
- Acute:chronic workload ratio compares recent load with longer-term load; rapid spikes matter.
- Dynamic knee valgus during landing or cutting is associated with hip abductor and external rotator weakness, ankle mobility limits, and poor trunk control.
- Eccentric hamstring strength and landing mechanics are key targets for lower-limb risk reduction.
- Corrective exercise follows a sequence: inhibit overactive tissue, lengthen if restricted, activate underactive muscles, integrate into a functional pattern.
- Correct the limiting cause, not just the visible compensation; pain, instability, or neurological signs warrant referral.
Worked example
A volleyball player lands from a block with knees collapsing inward. The visible fault is valgus, but the reasoning should test hip abductor strength, ankle dorsiflexion, and trunk control. If hip abduction is weak, include side-lying hip abduction, then a split-stance landing with a band cue and a "knees over toes" target. Recheck the landing. If ankle dorsiflexion is limited, add calf mobility before expecting the knee position to change. The corrective plan is a test-retest loop, not a list of exercises.
Traps
- Assuming pain-free means low risk.
- Correcting the knee while ignoring the foot, hip, or trunk.
- Progressing load faster than tissue capacity.
- Using corrective exercise as a substitute for sleep, nutrition, and load management.