22 Anatomy & Physiology Practice Questions & Answers

Every Anatomy & Physiology practice question from the MBLEx Massage Therapy Practice Test, with the correct answer and a short explanation.

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1. A therapist describes an imaginary cut through the waist that would separate the chest from the hips. Which anatomical plane does that cut follow?
- A.Oblique plane
- B.Frontal plane
- C.Sagittal plane
- D.Transverse plane✓ Answer
A transverse (horizontal) plane divides the body into superior and inferior portions, which is exactly what separating the chest from the hips requires; frontal planes divide anterior from posterior and sagittal planes divide left from right.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline, Anatomy & Physiology: anatomical planes and directional terminologyReport a problem with this question
2. A client says the discomfort is in the popliteal region. Which area does the therapist examine?
- A.The anterior aspect of the elbow
- B.The plantar aspect of the foot
- C.The medial aspect of the thigh
- D.The posterior aspect of the knee✓ Answer
Popliteal is the regional term for the hollow behind the knee; cubital names the front of the elbow and plantar names the sole of the foot, so each regional term has to be matched to its own surface landmark.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline, Anatomy & Physiology: regional and directional terminologyReport a problem with this question
3. Moving from the deepest layer of the epidermis toward the skin surface, which order is correct?
- A.Basale, spinosum, granulosum, corneum✓ Answer
- B.Corneum, granulosum, spinosum, basale
- C.Spinosum, basale, corneum, granulosum
- D.Granulosum, corneum, basale, spinosum
New keratinocytes are produced in the stratum basale against the dermis and are pushed outward, flattening and filling with keratin as they pass through the spinosum and granulosum before being shed from the corneum.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline, Anatomy & Physiology: integumentary system structureReport a problem with this question
4. A client can feel the vibration of a percussion technique deep in the thigh. Which receptor is chiefly responsible for transducing that stimulus?
- A.Meissner corpuscles in the papillae
- B.Pacinian corpuscles, deep dermis✓ Answer
- C.Free nerve endings in the epidermis
- D.Merkel discs at the epidermal base
Pacinian (lamellated) corpuscles are large, deeply placed receptors whose onion-like capsule responds to vibration and rapid deep pressure, while Meissner corpuscles and Merkel discs sit superficially and signal light or sustained touch.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline, Anatomy & Physiology: cutaneous sensory receptors of the skinReport a problem with this question
5. During normal bone remodeling, which cell resorbs bone matrix and frees calcium into the blood?
- A.Osteocytes
- B.Osteoblasts
- C.Osteoclasts✓ Answer
- D.Chondrocytes
Osteoclasts are large multinucleated cells that dissolve mineralized matrix and release its calcium, balancing the osteoblasts that deposit new bone; osteocytes are mature cells that simply maintain the matrix around them.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline, Anatomy & Physiology: bone tissue and bone cellsReport a problem with this question
6. The joint between two adjacent vertebral bodies allows only a small amount of movement. How is it classified by function?
- A.Synarthrosis, essentially immovable
- B.Amphiarthrosis, slightly movable✓ Answer
- C.Diarthrosis, freely movable
- D.Synovial, enclosed by a capsule
Functional classification is based purely on how much motion a joint permits: synarthroses are immovable, amphiarthroses such as the cartilaginous discs between vertebral bodies are slightly movable, and diarthroses are freely movable, while synovial is a structural category.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline, Anatomy & Physiology: functional classification of jointsReport a problem with this question
7. A joint permits flexion and extension in one plane only, with no rotation. Which type of synovial joint is described?
- A.Pivot joint
- B.Condyloid joint
- C.Hinge joint✓ Answer
- D.Gliding joint
A hinge joint such as the elbow or knee is uniaxial and produces only flexion and extension; a pivot is also uniaxial but produces rotation, and condyloid and gliding joints move in more than one direction.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline, Anatomy & Physiology: types of synovial joints and the movements they permitReport a problem with this question
8. Within a skeletal muscle, which connective tissue layer wraps a fascicle, the bundle of muscle fibers?
- A.Perimysium✓ Answer
- B.Endomysium
- C.Epimysium
- D.Periosteum
Epimysium surrounds the whole muscle, perimysium divides it into fascicles and endomysium sheathes each individual fiber; all three are continuous with one another and merge at the ends of the muscle to form the tendon.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline, Anatomy & Physiology: connective tissue organization of skeletal muscleReport a problem with this question
9. Which statement correctly pairs a muscle tissue type with its properties?
- A.Skeletal muscle is smooth, involuntary and self-rhythmic
- B.Smooth muscle is striated, voluntary and self-rhythmic
- C.Cardiac muscle is striated, involuntary and self-rhythmic✓ Answer
- D.Cardiac muscle is smooth, voluntary and self-rhythmic
Cardiac muscle is striated like skeletal muscle but is involuntary and generates its own rhythm at the sinoatrial node, and its fibers are joined by intercalated discs; skeletal muscle is striated and voluntary, and smooth muscle is nonstriated and involuntary.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline, Anatomy & Physiology: properties of skeletal, smooth and cardiac muscle tissueReport a problem with this question
10. Which structure connects one bone to another across a joint?
- A.A tendon
- B.An aponeurosis
- C.A ligament✓ Answer
- D.Deep fascia
Ligaments run bone to bone and passively limit how far a joint travels, tendons transmit the pull of muscle to bone, and an aponeurosis is a broad flat sheet that attaches in the same way a tendon does.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline, Anatomy & Physiology: connective tissue structures of the musculoskeletal systemReport a problem with this question
11. A client feels the therapist's pressure on the calf. Which neurons carry that information toward the spinal cord?
- A.Efferent neurons leaving the ventral root
- B.Autonomic fibers supplying smooth muscle
- C.Interneurons confined within the cord
- D.Afferent neurons entering the dorsal root✓ Answer
Afferent (sensory) neurons conduct impulses from receptors toward the central nervous system and enter the cord through the dorsal root, while efferent (motor) neurons carry commands outward from the cord to muscles and glands.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline, Anatomy & Physiology: divisions of the nervous system and sensory versus motor pathwaysReport a problem with this question
12. Midway through a slow rhythmic session the client's heart rate and breathing slow and the abdomen gurgles. Which shift best explains these changes?
- A.A shift toward sympathetic dominance
- B.A shift toward parasympathetic dominance✓ Answer
- C.A block of vagal outflow to the heart
- D.A surge of adrenal medullary output
Parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) activity, carried largely by the vagus nerve, slows the heart, slows and deepens breathing and restores gut motility, which is the physiological state a slow rhythmic session encourages.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline, Anatomy & Physiology: autonomic nervous system, sympathetic and parasympathetic divisionsReport a problem with this question
13. Which mechanism best explains why firm gliding strokes can reduce a client's perception of a dull ache in the same area?
- A.Pressure flushes accumulated toxins out of the muscle
- B.Mechanoreceptor input inhibits nociceptive signaling✓ Answer
- C.Compression temporarily severs small pain fibers in the skin
- D.Local warming destroys free nerve endings in the dermis
Gate control theory holds that large-diameter mechanoreceptor fibers stimulated by touch and pressure reach the dorsal horn first and inhibit transmission from the smaller nociceptive fibers, so less of the pain signal reaches the brain.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline, Anatomy & Physiology: nervous system function and gate control theory of painReport a problem with this question
14. The diaphragm is the primary muscle of quiet inspiration. Which nerve and spinal levels supply it?
- A.The phrenic nerve, from C3 to C5✓ Answer
- B.The intercostal nerves, from T1 to T11
- C.The vagus nerve, from the medulla
- D.The long thoracic nerve, from C5 to C7
The phrenic nerve arises from the cervical plexus at C3 to C5 and is the motor supply to the diaphragm, which is why an injury high in the cervical spine can threaten breathing while the intercostals only assist.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline, Anatomy & Physiology: respiratory system structure and innervation of the diaphragmReport a problem with this question
15. Blood returning from the lungs enters the left atrium. Which vessel carries it, and what is its oxygen state?
- A.The pulmonary vein, with oxygen-rich blood✓ Answer
- B.The pulmonary artery, with oxygen-rich blood
- C.The pulmonary vein, with oxygen-poor blood
- D.The pulmonary artery, with oxygen-poor blood
Arteries and veins are named for the direction of flow rather than oxygen content: the pulmonary veins return oxygen-rich blood from the lungs to the left atrium, and the pulmonary arteries carry oxygen-poor blood away from the right ventricle.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline, Anatomy & Physiology: cardiovascular system structure and pulmonary circulationReport a problem with this question
16. Why are strokes on the limbs commonly directed toward the heart?
- A.Arterial pressure needs help to reach the fingers and toes
- B.Venous valves and the muscle pump move blood centrally✓ Answer
- C.Capillary beds refill only when squeezed from the center
- D.Lymph nodes lie distally and must be emptied outward first
Venous blood returns under low pressure and depends on one-way valves plus compression from surrounding skeletal muscle, so pressure applied centripetally assists that flow rather than pushing back against the closed valves.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline, Anatomy & Physiology: cardiovascular system function and venous returnReport a problem with this question
17. Lymph from the left leg travels centrally in the thoracic duct. Where does it re-enter the bloodstream?
- A.At the aortic arch just above the heart
- B.At the right atrium by way of the vena cava
- C.At the hepatic portal vein entering the liver
- D.At the subclavian vein near the neck base✓ Answer
Lymph flow is one-way and always centripetal: fluid is picked up in the tissues, filtered through nodes, gathered into the thoracic or right lymphatic duct and emptied into a subclavian vein, returning it to the blood.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline, Anatomy & Physiology: lymphatic system structure and direction of lymph flowReport a problem with this question
18. The lymphatic system has no central pump. What moves lymph along its vessels?
- A.Skeletal muscle contraction, breathing and one-way valves✓ Answer
- B.Osmotic pull created by plasma proteins inside the nodes
- C.The pumping of the left ventricle through the whole body
- D.Cilia lining the walls of the lymphatic capillaries
With no heart of its own, the lymphatic system depends on compression from contracting skeletal muscle, pressure changes from breathing, smooth muscle in the vessel walls and valves that block backflow, which is why light rhythmic work is enough to assist it.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline, Anatomy & Physiology: lymphatic system function and lymph propulsionReport a problem with this question
19. Bile enters the small intestine and acts on dietary fat. What does bile actually do to that fat?
- A.It chemically splits the fat into fatty acids
- B.It neutralizes the acid arriving from the stomach
- C.It emulsifies the fat into smaller droplets✓ Answer
- D.It absorbs the fat directly across the villi
Bile is made by the liver and stored in the gallbladder but contains no enzymes: it mechanically breaks large fat globules into small droplets, giving pancreatic lipase far more surface area on which to work.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline, Anatomy & Physiology: digestive system function and the role of bileReport a problem with this question
20. A client has not eaten since morning and blood glucose is falling. Which pancreatic hormone responds, and what does it do?
- A.Insulin, which raises blood glucose
- B.Glucagon, which raises blood glucose✓ Answer
- C.Insulin, which lowers blood glucose
- D.Glucagon, which lowers blood glucose
The pancreatic islets use two opposing hormones held in balance by negative feedback: alpha cells release glucagon when glucose falls so the liver frees stored glucose, while beta cells release insulin after a meal to move glucose into cells.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline, Anatomy & Physiology: endocrine system function and pancreatic hormonesReport a problem with this question
21. Which structure is the functional unit of the kidney, where filtration of the blood begins?
- A.The adrenal cortex, capping a kidney
- B.The renal pelvis, holding formed urine
- C.The ureter, carrying urine downward
- D.The nephron, starting at the glomerulus✓ Answer
Each kidney contains roughly a million nephrons, and each one filters plasma at the glomerulus into the capsule and then reabsorbs and secretes along its tubule; the pelvis and ureter merely collect and transport urine already formed.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline, Anatomy & Physiology: urinary system structure and the nephronReport a problem with this question
22. A client strained a calf five days ago; the heat and swelling have settled and gentle pain-free movement feels comfortable. Which healing phase is this, and what is happening in the tissue?
- A.Subacute repair, with fibroblasts laying down collagen✓ Answer
- B.Maturation, with collagen realigned along stress lines
- C.Acute inflammation, with clotting and vessel leakage
- D.Regeneration, with muscle fibers already fully normal
The acute inflammatory phase covers roughly the first few days, when heat and swelling dominate; once those signs settle the subacute or proliferative phase lays down fragile, randomly oriented collagen, so pain-free movement and light work are appropriate while deep work and friction belong to the later remodeling phase.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline, Anatomy & Physiology: tissue injury and repair, phases of healingReport a problem with this question

Practice questions based on the FSMTB MBLEx content outline and standard massage therapy curriculum. MBLEx is a mark of the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards; this site is not affiliated with or endorsed by FSMTB. Licensing requirements — education hours, license title, continuing education, and fees — are set by each state board, so confirm your own state's rules before you apply. Nothing here is medical advice. About the MBLEx →

1. A therapist describes an imaginary cut through the waist that would separate the chest from the hips. Which anatomical plane does that cut follow?

2. A client says the discomfort is in the popliteal region. Which area does the therapist examine?

3. Moving from the deepest layer of the epidermis toward the skin surface, which order is correct?

4. A client can feel the vibration of a percussion technique deep in the thigh. Which receptor is chiefly responsible for transducing that stimulus?

5. During normal bone remodeling, which cell resorbs bone matrix and frees calcium into the blood?

6. The joint between two adjacent vertebral bodies allows only a small amount of movement. How is it classified by function?

7. A joint permits flexion and extension in one plane only, with no rotation. Which type of synovial joint is described?

8. Within a skeletal muscle, which connective tissue layer wraps a fascicle, the bundle of muscle fibers?

9. Which statement correctly pairs a muscle tissue type with its properties?

10. Which structure connects one bone to another across a joint?

11. A client feels the therapist's pressure on the calf. Which neurons carry that information toward the spinal cord?

12. Midway through a slow rhythmic session the client's heart rate and breathing slow and the abdomen gurgles. Which shift best explains these changes?

13. Which mechanism best explains why firm gliding strokes can reduce a client's perception of a dull ache in the same area?

14. The diaphragm is the primary muscle of quiet inspiration. Which nerve and spinal levels supply it?

15. Blood returning from the lungs enters the left atrium. Which vessel carries it, and what is its oxygen state?

16. Why are strokes on the limbs commonly directed toward the heart?

17. Lymph from the left leg travels centrally in the thoracic duct. Where does it re-enter the bloodstream?

18. The lymphatic system has no central pump. What moves lymph along its vessels?

19. Bile enters the small intestine and acts on dietary fat. What does bile actually do to that fat?

20. A client has not eaten since morning and blood glucose is falling. Which pancreatic hormone responds, and what does it do?

21. Which structure is the functional unit of the kidney, where filtration of the blood begins?

22. A client strained a calf five days ago; the heat and swelling have settled and gentle pain-free movement feels comfortable. Which healing phase is this, and what is happening in the tissue?