Chronic is _____, while acute is _____.

• A. Severe; something that occurs over and over again
• B. Sudden; severe
• C. Something that occurs over a long period of time; sudden or severe
• D. Sudden or severe; something that occurs over a long period of time

Answer: (C)

Understanding how chronic and acute describe time and onset helps you apply these terms to injuries or conditions in PE. Chronic means something that lasts a long time or persists over an extended period. Acute means it begins suddenly or has a rapid onset and is often severe, though it can be short in duration. The best choice captures that pairing: chronic = long-lasting; acute = sudden or severe. The other options mix up duration with onset or reverse the relationship, which is why they don’t fit.