ACSM STUDY GUIDE UPDATED Exam
Questions and CORRECT Answers
BIOMECHANICS - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- principles of physics related to energy and
force as they apply to the human body
PROXIMAL - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- CLOSER TO THE TRUNK
DISTAL - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- further from the trunk
SUPERIOR (CRANIAL) - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- above, toward the head
INFERIOR (CAUDAL) - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- lower than, toward the feet
ANTERIOR (VENTRAL) - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- toward the front
POSTERIOR (DORSAL) - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- toward the back
MEDIAL - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- closer to the midline
LATERAL - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- further from the midline
THREE CARDINAL BODY PLANES - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- sagittal plane, frontal
plane, transverse plane
SAGITTAL PLANE - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- makes a division into right and left
portions
FRONTAL PLANE - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- makes a division into anterior (front) and
posterior (back) portions
,TRANSVERSE PLANE - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- makes a division into upper (superior)
and lower (inferior) portions
ROTATION - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- movement around a longitudinal axis, either
toward or away from the midline
CIRCUMDUCTION - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- a combination of flexion, extension,
abduction, and adduction
EVERSION - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- turning the sole of the foot away from the midline
INVERSION - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- turning the sole of the foot toward the midline
Bones of the skull, vertebral column, ribs, and sternum... - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-
AXIAL SKELETON
VERTEBRAL COLUMN (SPINE) - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- serves as the main axial
support for the body
4 Major curvatures of the adult vertebral column - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- cervical
curve, thoracic curve, lumbar curve,
sacral curve
KYPHOSIS "primary curves" - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- curves of the thoracic and sacral
regions
LORDOSIS "secondary curves" - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- curves of the cervical and
lumbar region
Commonly found abnormal curves in the sagittal plane - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-
hyperkyphosis and hyperlordosis
, HYPERKYPHOSIS - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- exaggerated posterior thoracic curvature
HYPERLORDOSIS - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- exaggerated anterior lumbar curvature
Commonly found abnormal curve in the frontal plane - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- scoliosis
STERNUM - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- midline of the chest
What are the 3 parts of the sternum? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- manubrium, body, xiphoid
process
RF for family history - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- myocardial infarction, coronary
revascularization or sudden death to a 1st degree family member when >55 male, >65 female
RF for cigarette smoking - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- within 6 months
Risk factor for Dyslipidemia LDL - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- Lgreater than 130 mg/dL
RF Dyslipidemia Total Cholesterol - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- greater than 200 mg/dL
RF Dyslipidemia low HDL - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- less than 40 mg/dL
RF Sedentary minutes of activity, days of week, past # of months - CORRECT
ANSWER✔✔- less than 30 min/day, 3 days/week, for at least 3 months
RF Prediabetes fasting blood glucose - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- greater than or equal to
100 mg/dL up to 126
greater than or equal to 126 mg/dL - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- Fasting Blood Glucose for
Diabetes diagnosis
Questions and CORRECT Answers
BIOMECHANICS - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- principles of physics related to energy and
force as they apply to the human body
PROXIMAL - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- CLOSER TO THE TRUNK
DISTAL - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- further from the trunk
SUPERIOR (CRANIAL) - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- above, toward the head
INFERIOR (CAUDAL) - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- lower than, toward the feet
ANTERIOR (VENTRAL) - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- toward the front
POSTERIOR (DORSAL) - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- toward the back
MEDIAL - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- closer to the midline
LATERAL - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- further from the midline
THREE CARDINAL BODY PLANES - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- sagittal plane, frontal
plane, transverse plane
SAGITTAL PLANE - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- makes a division into right and left
portions
FRONTAL PLANE - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- makes a division into anterior (front) and
posterior (back) portions
,TRANSVERSE PLANE - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- makes a division into upper (superior)
and lower (inferior) portions
ROTATION - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- movement around a longitudinal axis, either
toward or away from the midline
CIRCUMDUCTION - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- a combination of flexion, extension,
abduction, and adduction
EVERSION - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- turning the sole of the foot away from the midline
INVERSION - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- turning the sole of the foot toward the midline
Bones of the skull, vertebral column, ribs, and sternum... - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-
AXIAL SKELETON
VERTEBRAL COLUMN (SPINE) - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- serves as the main axial
support for the body
4 Major curvatures of the adult vertebral column - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- cervical
curve, thoracic curve, lumbar curve,
sacral curve
KYPHOSIS "primary curves" - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- curves of the thoracic and sacral
regions
LORDOSIS "secondary curves" - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- curves of the cervical and
lumbar region
Commonly found abnormal curves in the sagittal plane - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-
hyperkyphosis and hyperlordosis
, HYPERKYPHOSIS - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- exaggerated posterior thoracic curvature
HYPERLORDOSIS - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- exaggerated anterior lumbar curvature
Commonly found abnormal curve in the frontal plane - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- scoliosis
STERNUM - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- midline of the chest
What are the 3 parts of the sternum? - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- manubrium, body, xiphoid
process
RF for family history - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- myocardial infarction, coronary
revascularization or sudden death to a 1st degree family member when >55 male, >65 female
RF for cigarette smoking - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- within 6 months
Risk factor for Dyslipidemia LDL - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- Lgreater than 130 mg/dL
RF Dyslipidemia Total Cholesterol - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- greater than 200 mg/dL
RF Dyslipidemia low HDL - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- less than 40 mg/dL
RF Sedentary minutes of activity, days of week, past # of months - CORRECT
ANSWER✔✔- less than 30 min/day, 3 days/week, for at least 3 months
RF Prediabetes fasting blood glucose - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- greater than or equal to
100 mg/dL up to 126
greater than or equal to 126 mg/dL - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- Fasting Blood Glucose for
Diabetes diagnosis
