Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination FREE MBLEx Test Physiological Effects of Massage Questions and Answers 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which physiological response is primarily responsible for the reduction in blood pressure observed during Swedish massage?
- Activation of the parasympathetic nervous system (Correct answer)
- Increased sympathetic tone
- Elevated cortisol production
- Constriction of peripheral blood vessels
Correct answer: Activation of the parasympathetic nervous system
Swedish massage stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which decreases heart rate and dilates blood vessels, leading to lower blood pressure.
Question 2: What effect does deep tissue massage have on muscle spindle activity?
- It decreases muscle spindle firing, reducing muscle tone (Correct answer)
- It increases muscle spindle firing, increasing muscle tone
- It has no effect on muscle spindle activity
- It permanently deactivates muscle spindles
Correct answer: It decreases muscle spindle firing, reducing muscle tone
Sustained pressure from deep tissue massage reduces muscle spindle firing rates, which decreases excessive muscle tone and promotes relaxation.
Question 3: How does massage therapy influence the level of natural killer (NK) cells in the body?
- It increases NK cell activity and number (Correct answer)
- It decreases NK cell activity
- It converts NK cells into T-cells
- It has no measurable effect on NK cells
Correct answer: It increases NK cell activity and number
Research shows that massage therapy boosts natural killer cell activity and count, enhancing the body's innate immune defense.
Question 4: Which hormone is typically elevated following a 60-minute relaxation massage session?
- Serotonin (Correct answer)
- Cortisol
- Epinephrine
- Aldosterone
Correct answer: Serotonin
Relaxation massage has been shown to increase serotonin levels, which contributes to improved mood and a sense of well-being.
Question 5: What is the primary physiological mechanism by which effleurage improves venous return?
- Mechanical pressure moves blood toward the heart through superficial veins (Correct answer)
- It triggers the release of nitric oxide from arterial walls
- It stimulates the cardiac conduction system to increase heart rate
- It causes venoconstriction through sympathetic activation
Correct answer: Mechanical pressure moves blood toward the heart through superficial veins
Effleurage strokes applied toward the heart mechanically push blood through the superficial venous system, enhancing venous return.
Question 6: Which physiological effect explains why massage can reduce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)?
- Increased local blood flow and lymphatic drainage reduce inflammatory metabolites (Correct answer)
- Massage repairs torn muscle fibers directly
- Massage converts fast-twitch fibers to slow-twitch fibers
- Massage increases lactic acid production to flush toxins
Correct answer: Increased local blood flow and lymphatic drainage reduce inflammatory metabolites
Massage increases circulation and lymphatic flow in the affected area, helping to clear inflammatory byproducts that contribute to DOMS.
Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination FREE MBLEx Test Physiological Effects of Massage Questions and Answers 2
Which physiological response is primarily responsible for the reduction in blood pressure observed during Swedish massage?