MBLEx Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination Questions and Answers

Communication is a very important component of the client/therapist relationship. A therapist who prefers the feedback and open communication from a client is justified to decline work if the client cannot communicate with the massage therapist.

All aspects of the integumentary system are affected by aging. These changes result in thinning of the skin layers, fewer active hair follicles, leading to thin, sparse hair and sebaceous activity, and reduced blood supply. There is also dryness due to reduced sweat.

All of the other options would indicate a chronic or later stage of an injury/disfunction. During an acute injury, inflammation would be most evident.

When a client performs an unassisted movement of their body, they are displaying an active ROM. This is used to determine the client’s natural range of motion.

Hacking, tapping and pounding are techniques of tapotement.

A nerve impulse is also known as an action potential, which is an electrical current that runs along a nerve pathway that can trigger a response in other cells.

The term celiac describes the location of the abdomen and is used to describe the location of nerves as in the celiac plexus or the location of cardiovascular tissue as in the celiac artery. Celiac disease denotes the location of the disease located in the abdominal region.

The posture for bicycling requires the rider to rest on the palms while steering. Guyon’s canal syndrome is also known as handlebar palsy.

A grade 4 whiplash is a critical condition associated with extreme neck pain, cervical fractures and/or dislocations, possible spinal cord injury and serious soft tissue damage. Massage is contraindicated until the condition is stabilized and a medical release is provided.

A pathogenic barrier is also known as a resistive barrier, which is the first sign of resistance against a movement during a range of motion assessment.

The valve between the stomach and the small intestine is the pyloric valve also known as the pylorus or pyloric sphincter.

There are three arches in a normal human foot. These are the medial longitudinal arch, the lateral longitudinal arch and the transverse arch.

The bluish tint in a client’s skin is an indication of a cardiovascular issue and is due to a lack of oxygen within the blood also known as hypoxia.

Any client who routinely requests to explore beyond the professional environment is testing the boundaries and professionalism of the therapist. Remember, the therapist is always at fault for allowing a breach of professional boundaries. The repercussions can lead to a hefty fine and/or loss of a massage license.

Wrist abduction is another term for radial deviation of the wrist. Of the muscles listed, the extensor carpi radialis is the muscle responsible for wrist abduction, which is to laterally extend the wrist away from the body while in correct anatomical position.

Thrombocytes or platelets, are essential to blood clotting. Thrombocytes create platelet plugs by releasing prothrombin at an injury site that bonds with calcium to form a clot.

The ulna is stationary during wrist rotation.

Metabolism is the process of chemical transformations within the body. These transformations can be caused by means of a physical stimulus or messages from the CNS. Massage therapy can provide both a mechanical and reflexive influence upon metabolism and this creates metabolic effect upon the body.

Foreign objects, including food, can become lodged in the larynx or trachea (windpipe). These can often be expelled by coughing. If the person can speak or make sounds, the airway is open and there is no emergency. If the person cannot breathe or speak, there is an immediate threat of death by asphyxiation and emergency measures are needed. The Heimlich maneuver is the correct first emergency remedial action to take.

The “molecular unit of currency” is often used to describe the importance of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) to cellular functions within the body.

Pulmonary circulation transfers blood from the heart to the lungs and then back to the heart for systemic circulation which distributes blood, nutrients and gases throughout the body.

Passive ROM is when the therapist performs the movement of the client’s body. This is used to determine joint versus muscular dysfunctions.

Protons located within the nucleus are counted to determine the atomic number of an atom. This is different than the atomic mass which is a count of the total count of neutrons and protons within a nucleus.

FSH or follicle stimulating hormone, produced by the anterior portion of the pituitary gland regulates the reproductive processes of the body, including development, growth and maturation.

A latent trigger point only produces pain during palpation.

The Arndt-Schultz Law states that a weak stimulus will have no effect on a physiological process, that an intermediate stimulus will promote a physiological process whereas a strong stimulus will inhibit a physiological process.

Using your hands to assess the condition of a client is a palpation assessment.

The alimentary canal is the passageway from the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine and ends at the anus. This canal is also the digestive tract.

The mesencephalon is also known as the midbrain, and is associated with arousal, hearing, motor control, vision, sleeping patterns and more.

The second role, as a professional, is as important as the first role. One can be the greatest massage therapist in the world, but if the massage therapist does not abide by the guidelines, ethics and laws set forth for the profession, then the therapist can do more harm than good to those who seek their help.

Client autonomy is when the practitioner keeps the client up to date about any possible changes or adjustments that can affect the client. This gives the client a chance to choose their course of action with the practitioner.

Lordosis is a condition of the lumbar spine which causes and anteriorly rotated pelvis. The anterior rotation causes the hip flexors to tighten which includes a shortening of the psoas muscle.

The nucleus comprised of the nucleolus, chromatin and chromosomes is the command center of a cell. Lysosomes act as the cells digestive system.

Crepitus is a crackling, grating or popping sound from joints or other subcutaneous tissue.

The time to collect information about a physical complaint or injury is during the intake process.

Costoclavicular test is often used to determine a brachial plexus compression syndrome. The costoclavicular test is also known as the military position test since the client rotates shoulders back and thrusts chest forward much like standing at attention. The practitioner feels for changes in the radial pulse to indicate a compression syndrome.

A client with a grade 3 disability is considered highly disabled but with moderate limitation of functionality. A good example is an injured construction worker with a crushed vertebrae who is disabled from returning to work, but has moderate limitations in daily functions like walking, sitting and eating.

HOPS stands for History, Observation, Palpation and Special tests. HOPS is used to assess the client’s experience, provide a postural assessment, give a physical examination, and test the function and structure of the client’s body.

Federal and state law form the legal boundaries of the massage profession.

Tennis elbow affects the extensor muscles of the forearm and is attributed to the tearing of flexor muscles during impact of a back hand swing.

The brain stem which provides the sensory and motor innervations of the face and neck consists of three parts: the medulla oblongata, pons and midbrain.

The Phalen’s test requires the client to firmly press the backs of the hands together for a duration up to a minute. If the client experiences pain, tingling or numbness in the thumb, index, middle and lateral half of the ring finger along the palmar side, then the test is positive for a carpal tunnel compression. The test can be done in reverse with palms pressed firmly together.

Carbohydrate digestions occurs mainly in the small intestine where the pancreatic digestive enzyme amylase converts starches into maltose which is then converted to glucose by the enzyme maltase. Sucrase converts sucrose to glucose and lactase converts lactose to glucose in the small intestine as well.

The ulnar nerve runs along the ulna and into the pinky finger and medial half of the ring finger.

A condyle is a large rounded area on a bone, usually at a joint articulation. A trochanter is a large projection from a bone. A spine or spinous process is a flat ridge-like flange protruding from a bone, typically a vertebra.

Disclosing all of the details about a treatment to a client gives them the opportunity to decide how to proceed and is part of the process to obtain informed consent.

The cerebral cortex is divided into two halves or hemispheres. Each hemisphere consists of four lobes: the frontal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe and temporal lobe. The lobes relate not to brain function but rather to the bones that underlie the cerebral cortex. The borders of these lobes are dictated by sutures in the skull with the exception between the frontal and parietal lobes which follow a deep fold in the brain called the central sulcus and this is just behind the frontal and parietal sutures.

Long bones possess a cartilaginous zone between the diaphysis (midsection) and the epiphysis (end) called the epiphyseal plate. During childhood this allows the bone to continue growing in length. At some point the cartilage ossifies (becomes bone tissue), leaving a line of demarcation, the epiphyseal line. This indicates the bone has reached its adult length and no further growth in length will occur. However, the bone can continue to grow in diameter.

The passive range of motion test assesses the antagonist muscles of the body. We are looking for the muscle that would inhibit rotation to the right. In this case, the left levator scapularis is the shortened muscle.

TART is an acronym for a soft tissue assessment protocol. T- Texture and tonicity of superficial and deep layers of tissue. A - Asymmetry and bilateral differences between body structures in reference to color, function, temperature and tonicity. R - Range of motion. An assessment of joint health and function. T - Tenderness or pain and discomfort in an area or specific tissues.

FSH or follicle stimulating hormone, produced by the anterior portion of the pituitary gland regulates the reproductive processes of the body, including development, growth and maturation.

Phasic muscles are fast twitch muscles and are best suited for quick movements. The triceps brachii and deltoid muscles are typically used for movements and do not have a postural role. They are also prone to inhibition as well as fatigue.

Hard end feel is the natural sensation at the end range of motion where bone meets bone such as elbow or knee extension. Since a hard end feel would indicate that the client’s joints are functioning normally, there would typically be no pain experienced.

The anatomical term “condyle” refers to a rounded articular process as in the medial or lateral condyles of the femur which articulate with the condyles of the tibia.

There are various forms of myocytes in the body, but it is the cardiac myosytes that are responsible for generating the electrical impulses that control heart rate.

The anatomical term “foramen” refers to a hole or opening for nerves or tissues to pass through as in the foramen ovale of the sphenoid bone on the skull which allows several nerves, arteries and veins to pass through.

Client confidentiality is an aspect of professional ethics and should be adhered to out of respect for the client. Also, not protecting a client’s information is a violation of HIPAA.

Psychosomatic pain is often caused by emotional distress and thus has no know physical cause. Psychosomatic pain can be a result from a broken heart after a break up, feelings of being inadequate or from any number of depressive thought patterns.

A reflex arc is a neural pathway that allows for the activation of spinal motor neurons to trigger without involving the brain for a response.

The P is for plan, which details what the next step is for the client. The plan could suggest stretch and exercise options, whether there should be additional care with a doctor or determine future visits with the practitioner.

Stratum lucidum is a translucent buildup of two to three layers of dead skin cells typically found on the palms of the hands or the soles of the feet. Stratum lucidum is located between the deeper stratum granulosum and the more superficial stratum corneum layers of skin. The thickness of stratum layers of cells is governed by the rate of mitosis (cellular division.)

Tantra is a Sanskrit word meaning expanding liberation and has a place amongst certain spiritual practices. However, tantric massage is often associated with massage that focuses on various levels of “sexual healing“ and, therefore, an establishment seeking a tantric massage practitioner is outside the code of ethics of the massage profession.

The suffix -crine refers to secretions. Endocrine gland is an example of the suffix -crine, which means an internal gland that secretes.

The vastus lateralis is the largest quadriceps muscle with its origin starting superiorly to the intertrochanteric line and inserting into the lateral border of the patella.

A person who has been in an auto accident could have any number of injuries including shock. For the safety of the client and your protection as a therapist, the best recommendation is to refer the client for a medical evaluation before any treatment is considered.

One of the few times a massage therapist is allowed to break confidentiality is when he or she suspects a client to be in personal danger or harm. In this case, the massage therapist has a professional obligation to ensure the safety of the client.

The obturator foramen is the gap created by the ischium and pubis bones of the pelvis which allows passage for the nerves and blood vessels that supply the leg. The shape of the obturator foramen differ between the sexes with the gap in men being round and in women being oval.

Scapulohumeral rhythm exposes the function of the glenohumeral joint by testing at which degree the scapula activates during an initial abduction of the arm. At 45 degrees, the scapula should engage until the end range motion of abduction.

Speaking about a client to another client, a client’s friend, or even the client’s family member is a violation of confidentiality. However, we do not need to be rude to maintain our professionalism. Simply suggesting that your client speak to his wife is a perfectly acceptable response.

The purpose of the excretory system is to regulate the chemical composition of the body by removing metabolic waste and to monitor the proper amount of water, salts and nutrients. The integumentary, digestive and respiratory system all play a minor role in the excretory system. However, the urinary system is responsible for the excretion of fluid to maintain homeostasis.

Nerves that send messages to the central nervous system (CNS) are called afferent nerves. Sensory receptors are examples of afferent nerves. The nerves that send messages from the CNS to the body are called efferent nerves. Somatic nerves are an example of efferent nerves.