Massage Therapist Kinesiology and Biomechanics Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A client is slowly lowering a heavy box from an overhead shelf. What type of contraction are the biceps brachii and brachialis primarily performing to control this movement?
- Concentric
- Eccentric (Correct answer)
- Isometric
- Isokinetic
Correct answer: Eccentric
Eccentric contraction occurs when a muscle lengthens under tension. In this scenario, the biceps brachii and brachialis are acting as a 'brake' against gravity, lengthening while still under load to control the descent of the box. Concentric contraction involves muscle shortening, and isometric involves no change in muscle length.
Question 2: The action of performing a standing calf raise, where the body is lifted onto the toes, is an example of which class of lever?
- First-class lever
- Second-class lever (Correct answer)
- Third-class lever
- Compound lever
Correct answer: Second-class lever
A standing calf raise is a second-class lever. The fulcrum is the ball of the foot, the resistance is the body's weight acting through the ankle, and the effort is applied by the calf muscles (gastrocnemius and soleus) pulling on the heel. In a second-class lever, the resistance is located between the fulcrum and the effort.
Question 3: A client presents with a significant anterior pelvic tilt and hyperlordosis. A massage therapist would most likely identify which pair of muscles as being tight and shortened?
- Rectus abdominis and gluteus maximus
- Hamstrings and external obliques
- Hip flexors and lumbar erectors (Correct answer)
- Quadratus lumborum and piriformis
Correct answer: Hip flexors and lumbar erectors
Anterior pelvic tilt is characterized by the front of the pelvis dropping and the back rising. This is often caused by a muscular imbalance where the hip flexors (iliopsoas, rectus femoris) and lumbar erector spinae are tight and shortened, while the abdominals and gluteal muscles are lengthened and weak.
Question 4: Which of the following best describes the role of a synergist muscle during a movement?
- It is the primary muscle responsible for causing the movement.
- It opposes the action of the primary muscle to provide control and stability.
- It contracts isometrically to hold a bone or joint steady.
- It assists the primary muscle to perform the movement more efficiently. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: It assists the primary muscle to perform the movement more efficiently.
A synergist muscle assists the agonist (prime mover) in performing a specific movement. It can help by adding extra force, stabilizing joints to allow for more effective movement, or neutralizing unwanted actions of the prime mover.
Question 5: A massage therapist asks a client to shake their head as if saying 'no'. This rotational movement primarily occurs in which plane of motion?
- Sagittal
- Frontal (Coronal)
- Transverse (Horizontal) (Correct answer)
- Oblique
Correct answer: Transverse (Horizontal)
The transverse, or horizontal, plane divides the body into superior (upper) and inferior (lower) parts. Rotational movements, such as shaking the head 'no' (cervical rotation), occur within this plane.
Question 6: Which of the following events marks the beginning of the stance phase in a normal gait cycle?
- Mid-swing
- Toe-off
- Heel strike (Correct answer)
- Deceleration
Correct answer: Heel strike
The gait cycle begins when one foot makes contact with the ground and ends when that same foot makes contact again. The stance phase is the period when the foot is on the ground, and it officially begins with 'initial contact,' which is commonly known as the heel strike.
Massage Therapist Kinesiology and Biomechanics Questions and Answers
A client is slowly lowering a heavy box from an overhead shelf.
What type of contraction are the biceps brachii and brachialis primarily performing to control this movement?