22 Kinesiology Practice Questions & Answers

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

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1. A client can hold her arm out to the side once the therapist passively lifts it, but she cannot start abduction from the anatomical position on her own. Which muscle is most likely injured?
- A.Teres major
- B.Rhomboid major
- C.Supraspinatus✓ Answer
- D.Middle deltoid
The supraspinatus initiates roughly the first 15 degrees of shoulder abduction, because with the arm hanging down the deltoid's line of pull is almost parallel to the humerus and gives it almost no leverage. Once the arm is raised the deltoid has enough leverage to continue and hold the motion, so a torn supraspinatus produces exactly this 'cannot start, can hold' pattern.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline — Kinesiology: skeletal muscle attachments and actions (rotator cuff)Report a problem with this question
2. A client's right sternocleidomastoid contracts by itself. What head and neck movement results?
- A.Lateral flexion to the right with rotation of the face to the left✓ Answer
- B.Lateral flexion to the right with rotation of the face to the right
- C.Extension of the head with rotation of the face to the right
- D.Lateral flexion to the left with rotation of the face to the left
The SCM runs obliquely from the sternum and clavicle up and back to the mastoid process, so pulling on one side tips the head toward that side while turning the face away from it. That split action — ipsilateral lateral flexion with contralateral rotation — is why a shortened right SCM is found in a client whose head tilts right and faces left.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline — Kinesiology: muscles of the neck, attachments and actionsReport a problem with this question
3. A therapist dorsiflexes a client's ankle with the knee straight, then repeats it with the knee bent; the calf stretch is felt much less with the knee bent. Which statement best explains this?
- A.The soleus crosses both the knee and the ankle, so bending the knee slackens it
- B.The tibialis posterior flexes the knee and shortens when the knee bends
- C.The gastrocnemius crosses both the knee and the ankle, so bending the knee slackens it✓ Answer
- D.Bending the knee places the calcaneal (Achilles) tendon on greater stretch
The gastrocnemius originates above the knee on the femoral condyles, so it crosses two joints and is slackened whenever the knee flexes. The soleus originates below the knee on the tibia and fibula and crosses only the ankle, which is why bent-knee dorsiflexion is the position used to target it.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline — Kinesiology: muscles of the leg, attachments and actionsReport a problem with this question
4. Which of the quadriceps muscles also assists hip flexion, and why?
- A.Rectus femoris, because it is the only one that crosses the hip joint✓ Answer
- B.Vastus medialis, because it attaches to the pubis
- C.Vastus lateralis, because it attaches to the greater trochanter
- D.Vastus intermedius, because it attaches to the iliac crest
The three vasti arise from the shaft of the femur and therefore act only on the knee, while the rectus femoris arises from the anterior inferior iliac spine on the pelvis and crosses both the hip and the knee. A muscle can only move the joints it crosses, so only the rectus femoris both extends the knee and flexes the hip.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline — Kinesiology: muscles of the thigh, attachments and actionsReport a problem with this question
5. All of the following muscles adduct the hip EXCEPT:
- A.Gracilis
- B.Adductor longus
- C.Pectineus
- D.Tensor fasciae latae✓ Answer
Adductor longus, gracilis and pectineus all attach to the pubic region medial to the hip joint, so their line of pull draws the femur toward the midline. The tensor fasciae latae attaches to the anterior iliac crest and ASIS lateral to the joint and pulls into the iliotibial band, making it a hip flexor, abductor and medial rotator.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline — Kinesiology: muscles of the hip, attachments and actionsReport a problem with this question
6. A carpenter reports pain at the lateral epicondyle of the humerus that increases when he grips a tool. Which muscle group attaches at that site?
- A.The wrist and finger flexors, along with pronator teres
- B.The biceps brachii and brachialis
- C.The triceps brachii and anconeus
- D.The wrist and finger extensors✓ Answer
The common extensor tendon of the wrist and finger extensors arises from the lateral epicondyle, while the common flexor tendon and pronator teres arise from the medial epicondyle. Gripping loads the wrist extensors isometrically to stabilize the wrist, which is why gripping reproduces lateral epicondyle pain.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline — Kinesiology: muscles of the forearm, common attachment sitesReport a problem with this question
7. Which muscle attaches to the iliac crest below and to the 12th rib and upper lumbar transverse processes above, elevating the ilium ('hip hike') and laterally flexing the lumbar spine?
- A.Gluteus medius
- B.Psoas major
- C.Rectus abdominis
- D.Quadratus lumborum✓ Answer
The quadratus lumborum sits in the posterior abdominal wall between the iliac crest and the 12th rib, so contracting it shortens the distance between pelvis and ribcage on that side. Because it also anchors the 12th rib, it assists forced exhalation, and a hypertonic QL is a common finding when one iliac crest sits higher.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline — Kinesiology: muscles of the trunk, attachments and actionsReport a problem with this question
8. A desk worker presents with rounded shoulders and a forward head. Which muscle pattern is most consistent with this posture?
- A.Shortened serratus anterior, with lengthened upper trapezius and levator scapulae
- B.Shortened middle trapezius, with lengthened pectoralis major and latissimus dorsi
- C.Shortened pectoralis major and minor and upper trapezius, with lengthened and inhibited rhomboids and lower trapezius✓ Answer
- D.Shortened rhomboids and lower trapezius, with lengthened pectoralis minor
When the scapulae sit protracted, the anterior muscles that pull them forward and down are held short while their posterior antagonists are held long and become neurologically inhibited. Treating only the aching upper back misses the cause, so work addresses both sides of the joint: lengthening the anterior chest and neck tissue and restoring function of the scapular retractors.
Source: Applied kinesiology of posture — muscle imbalance patterns of the shoulder girdleReport a problem with this question
9. While a client stands on the right leg alone, the pelvis drops on the left side. Weakness of which muscle does this indicate?
- A.Right iliopsoas
- B.Left quadratus lumborum
- C.Right gluteus medius✓ Answer
- D.Left gluteus medius
In single-leg stance the gluteus medius of the standing leg contracts to hold the opposite side of the pelvis level, working from a fixed insertion on the femur. If the right gluteus medius is weak it cannot support the pelvis, the unsupported left side drops, and the resulting Trendelenburg gait is named for the weak stance-side hip abductor.
Source: Applied kinesiology — gait analysis and hip abductor functionReport a problem with this question
10. Opposition of the thumb — touching the thumb pad to the pads of the other fingers — is possible because the first carpometacarpal joint is which type of synovial joint?
- A.Plane (gliding)
- B.Condyloid (ellipsoid)
- C.Saddle✓ Answer
- D.Hinge
The trapezium and the first metacarpal each have a surface that is concave in one direction and convex in the other, and they fit together like a rider in a saddle. That geometry gives two axes of movement plus the rotational slide that makes opposition possible; a hinge or plane joint could not produce it.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline — Kinesiology: joint structure and function (synovial joint types)Report a problem with this question
11. Compared with the hip, the glenohumeral joint dislocates far more easily. Which statement best explains the difference?
- A.The glenohumeral joint is a hinge joint restricted to one axis of motion
- B.Both are ball-and-socket joints, but the shallow glenoid fossa trades stability for mobility✓ Answer
- C.The glenohumeral joint has no joint capsule or reinforcing ligaments
- D.The glenohumeral joint is a saddle joint like the first carpometacarpal joint
Both joints are ball-and-socket with three degrees of freedom, but the deep acetabulum encloses much of the femoral head while the shallow glenoid fossa holds only a small part of the humeral head. Mobility and stability trade off inversely, so the shoulder is the most mobile and least stable joint in the body.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline — Kinesiology: joint structure and function (mobility versus stability)Report a problem with this question
12. A client turns the head to look over one shoulder. This rotation takes place in which plane?
- A.Sagittal plane
- B.Transverse plane✓ Answer
- C.Median plane
- D.Frontal (coronal) plane
All rotational movements — cervical rotation, medial and lateral rotation of the limbs, and pronation and supination of the forearm — occur in the transverse plane around a vertical axis. The sagittal plane carries flexion and extension, and the frontal plane carries abduction, adduction and lateral flexion.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline — Kinesiology: planes of movement and joint actionsReport a problem with this question
13. Rising up onto the toes (a calf raise) is an example of which class of lever?
- A.Third class
- B.Fourth class
- C.Second class✓ Answer
- D.First class
In a calf raise the fulcrum is at the ball of the foot, body weight (the resistance) passes down through the ankle, and the effort is the calf muscles pulling on the calcaneus — so the resistance lies between the fulcrum and the effort, which defines a second-class lever and gives a mechanical advantage. Most joints in the body are third-class levers, such as the biceps curl, which favor speed and range over force.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline — Kinesiology: lever systems and mechanical advantageReport a problem with this question
14. Shoulder lateral rotation is painful when the client contracts against the therapist's resistance, but painless when the therapist moves the relaxed arm through the same range. What does this pattern most likely indicate?
- A.A bony block at the end of range
- B.Inert tissue such as the joint capsule or a ligament
- C.Contractile tissue — muscle or tendon✓ Answer
- D.Nerve root compression in the cervical spine
Resisted testing is an isometric contraction with no joint movement, so it loads muscle and tendon while leaving the inert structures essentially unstressed. Passive movement does the opposite; pain on resisted but not passive testing therefore points to contractile tissue, such as a strain or tendinopathy of a lateral rotator.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline — Kinesiology: range of motion (active, passive, resisted)Report a problem with this question
15. Which range-of-motion assessment most directly evaluates inert, non-contractile structures and is the only one that gives the therapist an end feel?
- A.Active range of motion (AROM)
- B.Resisted range of motion (RROM)
- C.Passive range of motion (PROM)✓ Answer
- D.Standing postural analysis
In passive testing the client's muscles stay relaxed while the therapist moves the joint, so the tissues being stressed are the capsule, ligaments, cartilage and bursae rather than muscle and tendon. Because the therapist controls the limb into end range, only PROM lets the therapist feel the quality of resistance at the end of movement.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline — Kinesiology: range of motion (active, passive, resisted)Report a problem with this question
16. While assessing passive range of motion, the therapist meets severe pain that stops the movement before any tissue resistance is felt. What is this end feel, and what is the appropriate response?
- A.An empty end feel; stop the movement and refer the client for evaluation✓ Answer
- B.A firm end feel; this is normal, so continue the assessment
- C.A soft end feel from normal soft-tissue approximation
- D.A hard end feel; this is normal for most joints, so continue
An empty end feel means the client's pain limits the motion before the therapist perceives any anatomical barrier, so nothing structural is stopping the joint — the nervous system is. That dissociation between pain and tissue resistance is a red flag for conditions outside the scope of massage, so the therapist stops and refers rather than pushing through.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline — Kinesiology: range of motion and normal versus abnormal end feelsReport a problem with this question
17. A client slowly lowers a heavy box from chest height down to a table, with the elbows extending under control. What is the biceps brachii doing?
- A.Contracting eccentrically as it lengthens under tension✓ Answer
- B.Not contracting; the triceps does all of the work
- C.Contracting isometrically with no change in length
- D.Contracting concentrically as it shortens
Gravity, not the triceps, is extending the elbow here; the biceps stays active to brake the descent, so it develops tension while the load pulls it into a lengthened position. That is the definition of an eccentric contraction, and because eccentric work generates the highest tension it is the type most associated with delayed-onset muscle soreness and strains.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline — Kinesiology: concepts of skeletal muscle contractionReport a problem with this question
18. A therapist places a hand against the client's forearm and asks the client to push into it at gentle effort while the elbow stays completely still. Which type of contraction is the client producing?
- A.Isometric✓ Answer
- B.Eccentric
- C.Concentric
- D.Isokinetic
Tension rises inside the muscle but the resistance matches it exactly, so the muscle's overall length and the joint angle do not change — that is an isometric contraction. This is the contraction used in resisted testing and in the contract-relax phase of muscle energy technique, precisely because it loads the muscle without moving the joint.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline — Kinesiology: concepts of skeletal muscle contractionReport a problem with this question
19. As a client flexes the elbow against a weight, the rhomboids and middle trapezius contract to hold the scapula steady against the ribcage. What role are they playing in this movement?
- A.Synergist that produces part of the elbow flexion
- B.Fixator (stabilizer)✓ Answer
- C.Prime mover (agonist)
- D.Antagonist
A fixator contracts to stabilize the origin of the working muscle so that its pull moves the insertion rather than dragging the proximal attachment. The rhomboids and middle trapezius do not cross the elbow and contribute nothing to elbow flexion; they simply anchor the shoulder girdle so the elbow flexors can work efficiently.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline — Kinesiology: muscle roles (agonist, antagonist, synergist, fixator)Report a problem with this question
20. A therapist holds a slow static hamstring stretch steadily for about 20 to 30 seconds and the muscle releases. Which receptor and reflex account for this release?
- A.The muscle spindle, triggering the stretch reflex
- B.The Golgi tendon organ, triggering autogenic inhibition✓ Answer
- C.Pacinian corpuscles, triggering reciprocal inhibition
- D.Ruffini endings, triggering a withdrawal reflex
The Golgi tendon organ sits at the musculotendinous junction in series with the muscle fibers, so it monitors tension rather than length. When tension is sustained, it reflexively inhibits the very muscle that is generating it — autogenic inhibition — which is the mechanism behind held static stretching, muscle energy technique and contract-relax work.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline — Kinesiology: proprioceptors and neuromuscular controlReport a problem with this question
21. A client bounces repeatedly at the end of a hamstring stretch, and the therapist notices the hamstrings tightening rather than releasing. What has happened?
- A.Joint receptors in the knee capsule produced the contraction
- B.Reciprocal inhibition caused the quadriceps to contract instead
- C.The muscle spindles detected the rapid change in length and triggered the stretch reflex, contracting the hamstrings✓ Answer
- D.The Golgi tendon organs detected tension and inhibited the hamstrings
Muscle spindles lie within the muscle belly parallel to the extrafusal fibers and monitor length and especially the speed of a length change. A fast, bouncing stretch provokes the myotatic (stretch) reflex, which contracts the muscle being stretched as a protective response — the reason slow, sustained stretching is used instead of ballistic bouncing.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline — Kinesiology: proprioceptors and neuromuscular controlReport a problem with this question
22. Compared with a parallel (strap) muscle of the same overall size, a pennate muscle generally:
- A.produces the same force and the same range, differing only in appearance
- B.produces both greater force and a greater range of shortening
- C.produces greater force but shortens through a smaller range✓ Answer
- D.produces less force but shortens through a greater range
In a pennate muscle the fibers attach obliquely to a central tendon, so many more short fibers can be packed into the same volume, and force output depends on the number of fibers pulling in parallel. The trade-off is that each fiber is short, so the muscle shortens over a smaller distance and moves the joint through less range than a long-fibered parallel muscle.
Source: FSMTB MBLEx Content Outline — Kinesiology: skeletal muscle components and characteristics (fiber arrangement)Report 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 client can hold her arm out to the side once the therapist passively lifts it, but she cannot start abduction from the anatomical position on her own. Which muscle is most likely injured?

2. A client's right sternocleidomastoid contracts by itself. What head and neck movement results?

3. A therapist dorsiflexes a client's ankle with the knee straight, then repeats it with the knee bent; the calf stretch is felt much less with the knee bent. Which statement best explains this?

4. Which of the quadriceps muscles also assists hip flexion, and why?

5. All of the following muscles adduct the hip EXCEPT:

6. A carpenter reports pain at the lateral epicondyle of the humerus that increases when he grips a tool. Which muscle group attaches at that site?

7. Which muscle attaches to the iliac crest below and to the 12th rib and upper lumbar transverse processes above, elevating the ilium ('hip hike') and laterally flexing the lumbar spine?

8. A desk worker presents with rounded shoulders and a forward head. Which muscle pattern is most consistent with this posture?

9. While a client stands on the right leg alone, the pelvis drops on the left side. Weakness of which muscle does this indicate?

10. Opposition of the thumb — touching the thumb pad to the pads of the other fingers — is possible because the first carpometacarpal joint is which type of synovial joint?

11. Compared with the hip, the glenohumeral joint dislocates far more easily. Which statement best explains the difference?

12. A client turns the head to look over one shoulder. This rotation takes place in which plane?

13. Rising up onto the toes (a calf raise) is an example of which class of lever?

14. Shoulder lateral rotation is painful when the client contracts against the therapist's resistance, but painless when the therapist moves the relaxed arm through the same range. What does this pattern most likely indicate?

15. Which range-of-motion assessment most directly evaluates inert, non-contractile structures and is the only one that gives the therapist an end feel?

16. While assessing passive range of motion, the therapist meets severe pain that stops the movement before any tissue resistance is felt. What is this end feel, and what is the appropriate response?

17. A client slowly lowers a heavy box from chest height down to a table, with the elbows extending under control. What is the biceps brachii doing?

18. A therapist places a hand against the client's forearm and asks the client to push into it at gentle effort while the elbow stays completely still. Which type of contraction is the client producing?

19. As a client flexes the elbow against a weight, the rhomboids and middle trapezius contract to hold the scapula steady against the ribcage. What role are they playing in this movement?

20. A therapist holds a slow static hamstring stretch steadily for about 20 to 30 seconds and the muscle releases. Which receptor and reflex account for this release?

21. A client bounces repeatedly at the end of a hamstring stretch, and the therapist notices the hamstrings tightening rather than releasing. What has happened?

22. Compared with a parallel (strap) muscle of the same overall size, a pennate muscle generally: