MBLEx – Kinesiology — All Questions

Which connective tissue layer surrounds an individual muscle fiber?

Which type of muscle tissue is found in the walls of blood vessels and the digestive tract?

The functional contractile unit of a skeletal muscle fiber is the:

A massage therapist palpates a muscle that feels ropy and has distinct, palpable bundles. These bundles are known as:

Which type of muscle contraction occurs when a muscle generates force while shortening?

When a client slowly lowers a weight from a flexed elbow to full extension, the biceps brachii is performing which type of contraction?

A muscle that directly opposes the action of the prime mover is called the:

Which term describes the state of partial contraction maintained by a muscle at rest?

Which proprioceptor detects changes in muscle length and initiates the stretch reflex?

Autogenic inhibition is a protective mechanism triggered by which sensory receptor?

A massage therapist applies a slow, sustained stretch to a client’s hamstrings and holds it for 30 seconds. Which neurological mechanism is primarily responsible for the gradual relaxation of the muscle?

Reciprocal inhibition describes the neurological process in which:

The trapezius muscle performs which of the following actions on the scapula?

A client reports pain in the low back when standing for long periods. The massage therapist suspects tightness in the hip flexors is contributing to an excessive anterior pelvic tilt. Which muscle is the primary hip flexor?

Which rotator cuff muscle is most commonly injured and is responsible for initiating shoulder abduction?

The gastrocnemius muscle crosses which joints?

Which type of synovial joint allows movement in all planes, including flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, and rotation?

What is the primary function of synovial fluid within a joint capsule?

The knee joint is primarily classified as which type of synovial joint?

A client reports clicking and pain in the jaw when chewing. Which joint is most likely involved?

During which type of range of motion assessment does the client move the joint independently without assistance?

A client can fully extend the knee when the massage therapist moves it passively, but cannot fully extend it actively. What does this finding most likely suggest?

Normal shoulder flexion range of motion is approximately:

What are the origin, insertion, and primary action of the latissimus dorsi?

What are the origin, insertion, and primary actions of the pectoralis major?

Where is the pectoralis minor and what is its action?

Which four muscles make up the quadriceps group?

Which three muscles make up the hamstrings group?

Where is the soleus and what is its primary action?

What is the primary action of the gluteus medius?

Where is the rectus abdominis and what is its primary action?

What is the erector spinae group and what is its primary action?

What are the origin, insertion, and actions of the sternocleidomastoid (SCM)?

Where are the scalene muscles and what do they do?

Where is the levator scapulae and what is its primary action?

Where are the rhomboids and what is their primary action?

What is the difference between a muscle’s origin and insertion?

What movement does adduction describe?

What does rotation mean as a muscle action?

Where is the tibialis anterior and what is its primary action?

What is a cartilaginous joint?

What is a fibrous joint?

What is a condyloid (ellipsoidal) joint?

What is a bursa?

What is a meniscus?

What is a labrum?

What is the structure and function of an intervertebral disc?

What type of joint is the shoulder (glenohumeral) joint?

What type of joint is the hip joint?

What type of joint is the ankle?

What are the key structural features of the spinal segments?

What is the sacroiliac (SI) joint?

What is proprioception?

What are joint receptors and what information do they provide?

What is kinesthesia?

How does body awareness relate to massage therapy?

What are Meissner corpuscles?

What is an afferent nerve fiber?

What is an efferent nerve fiber?

What is a reflex arc?

What is the sliding filament theory of muscle contraction?

What is the all-or-none principle of muscle contraction?

What is motor unit recruitment?

What is muscle atrophy?

What causes a muscle cramp?

What is muscle fatigue?

What role does lactic acid play in muscle function?

What is ATP and why is it important for muscle contraction?

What is a capsular pattern?

What is hypermobility?

What is hypomobility?

What instrument is used to objectively measure joint range of motion?

How is ROM measurement used to track client progress?

What are approximate normal ROM values for common joint movements?

A client reports increased shoulder pain when reaching overhead. During active ROM assessment, the client winces at approximately 120 degrees of flexion. What does this finding indicate?

What is an aponeurosis?

What is a muscle spindle and what is its function?

What is the Golgi tendon organ and what is its function?

What is the neuromuscular junction?

What is acetylcholine and what role does it play in muscle contraction?

What are slow-twitch (Type I) muscle fibers?

What are fast-twitch (Type II) muscle fibers?

What is the muscle belly?

The glenohumeral joint is classified as which type of synovial joint?

A client reports chronic ankle instability and frequent sprains on the lateral side. Which joint and associated ligaments are most commonly involved?

Which of the following best describes the sacroiliac (SI) joint?

A client reports pain when actively raising their arm overhead but experiences no pain when the massage therapist passively raises the same arm to the same range. This finding suggests:

A massage therapist is treating a client with chronic tension along the posterior cervical region and upper back. When palpating the area between the occiput and the scapular spine, the therapist is most likely working on which soft tissue structure?

The glenohumeral joint of the shoulder is classified as which type of synovial joint?

A client who recently sprained their ankle reports instability when walking on uneven surfaces. Which structural component of the ankle joint is most likely compromised?

A client reports pain when actively raising the arm overhead, but the therapist can passively move the arm through the same range without pain. What does this finding suggest?

A massage therapist is working on a client who reports tenderness along the lateral border of the scapula and difficulty with shoulder movements. Which muscle group should the therapist focus on assessing through soft tissue palpation?

A client reports pain with movement when actively flexing their elbow past 90 degrees. What should the massage therapist do next?

A massage therapist is performing soft tissue work on the posterior leg. Which muscle group is primarily located in this region?

Which type of soft tissue connects muscle to bone?

What type of end feel is characterized by a firm, leathery resistance with slight give at the end of the range, typically caused by a joint capsule or ligamentous stretch?

A massage therapist passively flexes a client’s knee and feels a cushioned stop caused by the calf muscles pressing against the posterior thigh. Which type of end feel does this describe?

Which type of end feel is characterized by an abrupt, unyielding stop caused by bone contacting bone?

A massage therapist passively moves a client’s shoulder into abduction and the client reports severe pain before any tissue resistance is felt, requiring the therapist to stop. Which type of end feel does this describe?

Which type of muscle contraction involves a change in muscle length while maintaining relatively constant tension?

During a shoulder press exercise, which muscles act as stabilizers to hold the scapula in position while the deltoid performs the primary movement?

The biceps brachii muscle performs which primary actions at the elbow and forearm?

Which muscle is the primary extensor of the elbow joint?

The glenohumeral (shoulder) joint allows the greatest range of motion of any joint in the body. Which structural feature is the primary reason for this extensive mobility?

A massage therapist is educating a client about why consistent stretching improves flexibility over time. Which property of connective tissue best explains this adaptation?

Which connective tissue layer surrounds an entire skeletal muscle, enclosing all of its fascicles?

A client asks why a specific deep tissue technique seems to release tension in an area far from where the therapist is working. Which structural component best explains this phenomenon?

What is a motor unit?

A massage therapist notices that a client’s right calf muscles appear visibly smaller than the left, and the client mentions they had a leg cast for eight weeks after a fracture. What is the most likely cause of this size difference?

Which component of the sarcomere slides along myosin during muscle contraction according to the sliding filament theory?

A client performs a wall sit exercise, holding a seated position against the wall without moving. Which type of muscle contraction are the quadriceps performing during this exercise?

A massage therapist is working with a client who has chronic tension in the upper trapezius. The therapist applies muscle energy technique by asking the client to gently shrug the shoulders against resistance, then relax. Which neurological principle is being used to achieve relaxation of the upper trapezius after the contraction?

Which term describes a muscle that assists the prime mover by contributing to the same joint action?

During elbow flexion with a bicep curl, the triceps brachii gradually lengthens to allow the movement. Which muscle role is the triceps brachii performing?

What is tetanus in the context of muscle physiology?

A massage therapist applies a slow, sustained pressure to a client’s IT band. After approximately 90 seconds, the therapist notices the tissue softening and yielding. Which proprioceptive mechanism best explains this tissue response?

Which type of sensory receptor is primarily responsible for detecting deep pressure and vibration in the skin and subcutaneous tissues?

A massage therapist is performing PNF stretching on a client’s hamstrings. The therapist asks the client to actively contract the quadriceps while the therapist stretches the hamstrings further. Which neurological principle is the therapist utilizing?

What is the role of Ruffini endings in sensory perception?

A massage therapist quickly stretches a client’s muscle, and the muscle immediately contracts in response. Which receptor and reflex are responsible for this reaction?

Nociceptors are sensory receptors that detect which type of stimulus?

A client with a previous ankle sprain reports difficulty maintaining balance on one foot. Which sensory system is most likely impaired, contributing to this functional deficit?

A massage therapist is assessing a client’s cervical range of motion. When the client actively rotates the head to the right, they report stiffness at the end of range but no pain. When the therapist passively moves the head further into right rotation, an additional 10 degrees is achieved before reaching a firm end feel. What does this finding most likely indicate?