Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination Client Assessment and Planning 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A client reports sharp, shooting pain that radiates down their left arm. What is the most appropriate action for the massage therapist?
- Proceed with massage focusing on the arm
- Refer the client to a physician immediately (Correct answer)
- Apply heat to the shoulder to relax the muscles
- Perform light effleurage on the arm only
Correct answer: Refer the client to a physician immediately
Radiating arm pain, especially on the left side, can indicate a cardiac event and requires immediate physician referral.
Question 2: When performing a postural assessment, a therapist notices the client's right shoulder is elevated compared to the left. This finding most likely suggests:
- Normal anatomical variation requiring no action
- Possible muscle imbalance or tension in the upper trapezius (Correct answer)
- A contraindication to all massage techniques
- The client needs chiropractic care before massage
Correct answer: Possible muscle imbalance or tension in the upper trapezius
An elevated shoulder often indicates hypertonicity or muscle imbalance in the upper trapezius and related muscles on that side.
Question 3: Which of the following best describes the purpose of the intake form in massage therapy practice?
- To satisfy legal billing requirements only
- To collect health history and identify contraindications and precautions (Correct answer)
- To determine the client's ability to pay for services
- To record the therapist's observations during the session
Correct answer: To collect health history and identify contraindications and precautions
The intake form collects health history information used to identify contraindications, precautions, and tailor the session to client needs.
Question 4: A client describes their pain as 'burning and tingling' along a specific nerve pathway. This type of pain is most accurately described as:
- Referred pain
- Neuropathic pain (Correct answer)
- Somatic pain
- Visceral pain
Correct answer: Neuropathic pain
Burning and tingling sensations following a nerve pathway are characteristic of neuropathic pain originating from nerve irritation or damage.
Question 5: During a client interview, the therapist asks, 'Can you show me where it hurts?' This is an example of which type of assessment technique?
- Palpation
- Range of motion testing
- Active listening with clarification
- Pain mapping (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Pain mapping
Asking a client to indicate the location of pain is a pain mapping technique used to identify the area and pattern of discomfort.
Question 6: A client with fibromyalgia books a massage. Which assessment consideration is MOST important for planning this session?
- Assessing the client's flexibility with range of motion tests
- Determining the client's pain sensitivity and pressure tolerance (Correct answer)
- Checking for localized inflammation in specific joints
- Reviewing the client's cardiovascular health history
Correct answer: Determining the client's pain sensitivity and pressure tolerance
Fibromyalgia involves widespread pain sensitivity, making pressure tolerance assessment critical for determining appropriate massage depth.
Question 7: Which of the following is a LOCAL contraindication for massage therapy?
- Uncontrolled hypertension
- Active herpes outbreak on the lip (Correct answer)
- Recent surgery within the past week
- Fever of 101°F
Correct answer: Active herpes outbreak on the lip
An active herpes outbreak is a local contraindication, meaning massage should avoid that specific area but can proceed elsewhere.
