Explorations in the Theory and Practice 
of Massage Therapy and Bodywork 

Web www.thebodyworker.com

[ Home ] [ Test Quesions 1 ] [ Massage Theory Test ] [ Test Questions 2 ] [ Test  Resources ]

(These test questions and answers need to be updated and corrected.  I am also looking for more example questions to be posted here.  Contact me if you have some you would like to share or share your experience of the national exam on the bulletin board linked above.  Thanks!)

1. The sequences and directions of Swedish massage strokes are most adapted to which anatomical situation? (a) Muscle Attachments (b) Subcutaneous adipose tissue (c) autonomic nervous system (d) lymph drainage and venous return
2. Reflexive physiological effects (a) are generally a result of nervous system responses

are directly produced by the massage therapist (c) include desquamation of dead skin cells and assisting lymphatic and venous circulation (d) are always stimulating and to be avoided

3. The best massage stroke to be used on a chronic sprain is (a) transverse friction (b) effleurage (c) pick up (d) tapotement
4. Lymph drainage massage procedures should begin at the (a) tendons (b) left thoracic lymph duct (c) right thoracic lymph duct (d) immune system
5. Cross fiber friction massage must be applied in which direction to the fibers? (a) horizontal (b) at right angles (c) triangular (d) longitudinally
6. Friction, percussion and vibration are techniques that (a) stimulate (b) relax (c) strengthen (d) weaken
7. The kneading technique in which the practitioner attempts to grasp tissue and gently lift it away from the bone is called (a) effleurage (b) pettrissage (c) tapotement (d) pinching
8. Pressing one superficial layer of tissue against a deeper layer of tissue to improve blood flow is called (a) rolling (b) spreading (c) friction (d) tapotement
9. Nerve trunks and centers are sometimes chosen as sites for the application of (a) rolling (b) rocking (c) triggerpoint (d) vibration
10. A hyper-irritable point that is painful when pressure is applied to it is called a (an) (a trigger point (b) pressure point (c) energy center (d) pain point
11. The general effects of percussion movements are to tone muscles by (a) vibration (b) friction (c) kneading (d) hacking
12. The ability to carry on an activity over a prolonged period of time and resist fatigue is called (a) strength (b) muscle bulk (c) endurance (d) exercise
13. Deep strokes and kneading techniques can cause an increase in (a) vasoconstriction (b) blood flow (c) diastolic arterial pressure (d) spasm
14. The cupping technique is best suited for (a) bronchitis (b) lung cancer (c) asthma (d) pleurisy
15. In addition to massage, which is most helpful in increasing lymph flow? (a) exercise (b) heat (c) immobilization (d) passive movement
16. The therapeutic benefit of friction is (a) local hyperemia (b) lymphatic drainage (c) tonification (d) none of the above
17. The main purpose of deep cross fiber friction is to (a) separate fibers (b) lengthen fibers (c) reduce pain (d) all of the above
18. Which is the best stroke for breaking down adhesions? (a) effleurage (b) petrissage (c) friction (d vibration
19. The purpose of petrissage is to milk the muscle and (a) remove toxins and waste products (b) assist venous return (c) squeeze the arteries and veins (d) apply pressure to the bones
20. Moving a joint without assistance or resistance is called (a) flexion (b) range of motion (c) extension (d) resisted movement
21. Direct physical effects of massage techniques on the tissues they contact are called (a) reflex effects (b) pressure points (c) physiological effects (d) mechanical effects
22. Gentle stroking, light friction and light petrissage are found to be (a) stimulating (b) reactive (c) calming (d) all of the above
23. Variations of effleurage include (a) knuckling and stroking (b) backstroke and friction (c) pressure and brushing (d) angling and stroking
24. Variations of petrissage include (a) one-handed petrissage (b) open and closed C (c) V hand position (d) all of the above
25. Variations of friction massage are (a) wringing and sq

    ueezing (b) knuckling and stroking (c) cross fiber manipulation and hooking (d) hacking and squeezing C

26. Kneading includes all of the following except (a) rolling (b) fulling (c) petrissage (d) friction
27. Vibration is best used for (a) breaking up scar tissue (b) relieving chronic edema (c) relaxing tight muscles (d) decreasing circulation
28. Blood Pressure generally decreases during massage because (a) the heart pumps less blood (b) venous flow is impeded (c) vasoconstriction occurs in the aorta (d) vasodilatation occurs in the peripheral arterial beds
29. Ischemia is (a) swelling (b) pain caused by hypertonicity (c) lack of muscle tone (d) lack of blood in an area
30. Which stroke is best used to break up subcutaneous adhesions? (a) cross fiber friction on the borders of the muscles (b) skin rolling (c) light effluerage (d) tapotement
31. The swedish massage stroke most helpful for relieving edema is (a) light tapping proximal to the edema (b) direct pressure friction into the edema (c) effleurage proximal to the edema and going towards the trunk (d) all of the above
32. Cross-fiber friction is most useful for (a) breaking up blood clots (b) releasing endorphins into the brain (c) spreading and broadening the muscle (d) increasing venous return
33. The gate theory is used to explain how massage may assist in (a) lessening a client’s edema (b) decreasing a client’s pain (c) increasing a client’s ability to move a joint through facilitation activation (d) helping client get in and out the door
34. The five basic swedish massage strokes are (a) effleurage, hacking, shaking, vibration and cupping (b) effleurage , Petrissage, squeezing, compression and swedish gymnastics (c) effleurage, petrissage, friction, vibration and tapotement (d) effleurage, petrissage, friction, cupping and hacking
35. The three stages of inflammation are (a) cute, subacute and hypertonic (b) acute, subacute and hyperacute (c) acute, subacute and chronic (d) acute, superacute and subacute
36. An endangerment structure in the posterior triangle is (a) the common carotid artery (b) the sciatic nerve (c) the brachial plexus (d) the median nerve
37. The borders of the femoral triangle are (a) inguinal ligament, rectus femoris, and sartorius (b) inguinal ligament, rectus femoris and adductor longus (c) inguinal ligament, sartorius and adductor longus (d) inguinal ligament, sartorius and popliteus
38. Friction includes (a) light and deep gliding strokes over the skin (b) direct pressure and cross-fiber and linear strokes (c) shaking and tapping (d) rubbing the skin until the client’s skin turns bright red
39. Reciprocal inhibition refers to ( a) a clients shyness (b) the fact that one group of muscles must relax when the client makes them (c) the fact that one group of muscles must relax when the opposite group contracts (d) all of the above
40. Hypoxia is (a) less than the normal amount of blood in an area (b) lack of oxygen (c) a contraindication for massage (c) a condition characterized by cold extremities
41. The antagonist muscle is ( a) the group of muscles contracting (b) the group of muscles opposite the group of contracting (c) the group of muscles assisting the group of muscles contracting (d) all of the above
42. The ability of a muscle to contract in called (a) strength (b) power (c) speed (d) endurance
43. The piriformis may be involved with (a) anterior leg pain (b) sciatic pain (c) anterior abdominal pain (d) lateral knee pain
44. Which of the following is true of the muscle spindle cell? (a) when stretched too far, too quickly, it causes the muscle to relax (b) when stretched too far, too quickly, it causes the muscle to contract (c) when stretched too far, too quickly, it engages the Golgi tendon organ (d) when stretched too far, too quickly, it engages the gate theory
45. The common carotid artery is in what region? (a) posterior triangle (b) bracial region (c) anterior triangle (d) delto-pectoral triangle
46. Which massage stroke has the least effect on blood circulation? (a) effleurage (b) petrissage (c) tapotement (d) wringing
47. Linear friction is most useful for (a) breaking up blood clots (b) releasing endorphins into the muscle belly (c) stretching muscle fibers (d) increasing venous return
48. Which of the following is contraindicated for effleurage? (a) very hairy skin (b) insomnia (c) pain (d) inflammation
49. Cupping, Hacking, slapping and beating are all forms of (a) effleurage (b) friction (c) petrissage (d) tapotement
50. Which of the following are contraindicated for tapotement? (a) insomnia (b) hypertonicity (c) hyperemia (d) hypothyroidism
51. Which of the following strokes, if done for too long a period, can cause loss of sensation due to nervous system overload? (a) light effleurage (b) tapotement (c) petrissage (d) knuckling
52. Nerve strokes are most often used to (a) stimulate (b) tickle (c) assist venous return (d) soothe the nervous system
53. Tapotement can be beneficial (a) if it is applied lightly over the abdomen (b) when used over the thoracic cavity to loosen mucus in the lungs (c) to stimulate circulation (d) all of the above
54. Effluerage has the following effects: (a) eliciting parasympathetic response (b) vasodilation (c) assisting lymph and venous flow (d) all of the above
55. Physiological effects primarily effect which system(s)? (a) nervous (b) circulatory (c) endocrine (d) all of the above
56. If you want to stimulate rather than relax your client, your massage strokes would be (a) vigorous (b) slow and gentle (c) deep (d) light
57. Mechanical effects occur because (a) the endocrine system is activated (b) the parasympathetic nervous system is stimulated (c) of our intent (d) we apply strokes to certain areas of the body
58. Which structures are best massaged using petrissage? (a) joint capsules (b) muscle bellies (c) tendons (d) fingers
59. Petrissage is contraindicated for (a) flaccid paralysis (b) hairy skin (c) pregnancy (d) ischemia
60. The bodies ability to receive information from muscles, tendons and other structures regarding their external and internal conditions is called (a) proprioception (b) parasympathetic nervous system (c) the gate theory (d) hyperemia
61. Reflexive physiological effects (a) are generally a result of nervous system responses (b) are directly produced by the massage therapist (c) include desquamation of dead skin cells and assisting lymphatic and venous circulation (d) are always stimulating and to be avoided

 Key to test - Test answers will vary by school!!  To purchase books to help you study for your state or national massage exam see special book section.

[ Home ] [ Building Your Web Presence ] [ Massage Practice Builder ] [ Jobs in Massage ] [ Challenge to the Profession ] [ Nutrition for Musculoskeletal Health ] [ Massage Books ] [ Business ] [ Marketing ] [ Insurance Billing ] [ Ethics ] [ Pathology ] [ Deep Tissue ] [ Aromatherapy Massage ] [ Swedish Massage ] [ Pregnancy Massage ] [ Hydrotherapy ] [ Professional Associations ] [ Laws and Regulations ] [ History of Massage ] [ Triggerpoint Therapy ] [ Sports Massage ] [ Psychology ] [ Mentoring ] [ Self Care ] [ Supervision ] [ Peer Groups ] [ Massage Techniques ] [ Anatomy and Kinesiology ] [ Physiology ] [ Meridians ] [ Clinical Massage ] [ Test Questions ] [ Free Newsletter ] [ Contact ]

© 1999-2005 www.thebodyworker.com 
(copyright info and disclaimer)e
 Link Exchange
Visit my other sites: www.themassage-directory.com  www.massagetherapycareers.com       www.massagepracticebuilder.com
About Me                Contact Me