Massage Therapist Kinesiology Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A client performs a bicep curl, bringing a dumbbell from their side up towards their shoulder. What type of contraction is the biceps brachii performing during the upward phase of this movement?
- Isometric
- Eccentric
- Concentric (Correct answer)
- Isokinetic
Correct answer: Concentric
A concentric contraction occurs when a muscle shortens while generating force, which is what happens to the biceps brachii as it lifts the dumbbell and flexes the elbow.
Question 2: A therapist is instructing a client on a stretch for the hamstrings. To increase the effectiveness of the stretch, the therapist asks the client to actively contract their quadriceps. This technique utilizes which physiological principle?
- Agonist facilitation
- Reciprocal inhibition (Correct answer)
- Autogenic inhibition
- Post-isometric relaxation
Correct answer: Reciprocal inhibition
Reciprocal inhibition is the neurological process where the contraction of one muscle (the agonist, in this case, the quadriceps) causes the relaxation of its opposing muscle (the antagonist, the hamstrings), allowing for a more effective stretch.
Question 3: During an assessment, a massage therapist observes that when a client abducts their arm, their scapula elevates excessively and rotates downwardly instead of upwardly. This dysfunctional movement suggests an imbalance in which of the following?
- Glenohumeral joint capsule
- Deltoid-rotator cuff force couple
- Acromioclavicular ligament integrity
- Serratus anterior and lower trapezius force couple (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Serratus anterior and lower trapezius force couple
Proper upward rotation of the scapula during arm abduction is controlled by the force couple created by the serratus anterior, upper trapezius, and lower trapezius. Weakness or poor activation of the serratus anterior and lower trapezius can lead to dominance by the upper trapezius and levator scapulae, causing excessive elevation and improper rotation.
Question 4: Which of the following activities is an example of a closed kinetic chain exercise?
- Leg extension on a machine
- Throwing a baseball
- Squatting with bodyweight (Correct answer)
- Bicep curl with a dumbbell
Correct answer: Squatting with bodyweight
A closed kinetic chain exercise is one where the distal segment of the limb (in this case, the feet) is fixed against a surface and does not move. During a squat, the feet are planted on the floor while the body moves.
Question 5: A client is slowly lowering a heavy box from a high shelf. Their biceps brachii is active to control the descent. What type of muscle action is the biceps performing?
- Concentric
- Eccentric (Correct answer)
- Isometric
- Static
Correct answer: Eccentric
An eccentric contraction occurs when a muscle lengthens under tension to control a load. In this scenario, the biceps is elongating while actively resisting the gravitational pull on the box, controlling the rate of elbow extension.
Question 6: The body's ability to sense its own position, movement, and orientation in space without using vision is known as proprioception. Massage therapy can enhance this sense primarily by stimulating which structures?
- Nociceptors in the skin
- Chemoreceptors in blood vessels
- Muscle spindles and Golgi tendon organs (Correct answer)
- Baroreceptors in the carotid sinus
Correct answer: Muscle spindles and Golgi tendon organs
Proprioception relies on sensory information from specialized receptors in muscles, tendons, and joints. Muscle spindles detect changes in muscle length, while Golgi tendon organs detect changes in muscle tension. Massage directly stimulates these structures, improving the body's awareness of its position and movement.
Massage Therapist Kinesiology Questions and Answers
A client performs a bicep curl, bringing a dumbbell from their side up towards their shoulder.
What type of contraction is the biceps brachii performing during the upward phase of this movement?