Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination FREE MBLEx Test Physiological Effects of Massage Questions and Answers 2

Question 1

Which physiological response is primarily responsible for the reduction in blood pressure observed during Swedish massage?

Accepted Answer

Activation of the parasympathetic nervous system

Answer

Increased sympathetic tone

Answer

Elevated cortisol production

Answer

Constriction of peripheral blood vessels

Question 2

What effect does deep tissue massage have on muscle spindle activity?

Accepted Answer

It decreases muscle spindle firing, reducing muscle tone

Answer

It increases muscle spindle firing, increasing muscle tone

Answer

It has no effect on muscle spindle activity

Answer

It permanently deactivates muscle spindles

Question 3

How does massage therapy influence the level of natural killer (NK) cells in the body?

Accepted Answer

It increases NK cell activity and number

Answer

It decreases NK cell activity

Answer

It converts NK cells into T-cells

Answer

It has no measurable effect on NK cells

Question 4

Which hormone is typically elevated following a 60-minute relaxation massage session?

Accepted Answer

Serotonin

Answer

Cortisol

Answer

Epinephrine

Answer

Aldosterone

Question 5

What is the primary physiological mechanism by which effleurage improves venous return?

Accepted Answer

Mechanical pressure moves blood toward the heart through superficial veins

Answer

It triggers the release of nitric oxide from arterial walls

Answer

It stimulates the cardiac conduction system to increase heart rate

Answer

It causes venoconstriction through sympathetic activation

Question 6

Which physiological effect explains why massage can reduce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)?

Accepted Answer

Increased local blood flow and lymphatic drainage reduce inflammatory metabolites

Answer

Massage repairs torn muscle fibers directly

Answer

Massage converts fast-twitch fibers to slow-twitch fibers

Answer

Massage increases lactic acid production to flush toxins