2025 Edition

MBLEx Practice Test

Take this free MBLEx practice exam to test your knowledge of massage therapy subjects.

This MBLEx practice test includes sample questions from real exam sections: body systems, anatomy, pathology and more. The actual exam was developed by FSMTB (Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards) and is administered at high-security test centers across the U.S.  The licensing boards of individual states determine what is needed for licensure. In many states, a passing score on the MBLEx is one of several requirements for licensure.

To prepare for the MBLEx, use our 1,000 question full-length practice exam for the MBLEx. authored by massage therapy instructors, who have all worked in massage therapy for many years. 

 
 
 

1. All muscles come in pairs, the agonist and the ________________.
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2. The long shaft of a bone is called ____________________.
3. Where bones meet to form a joint:
4. A massage therapist presses and rolls muscles under her hands. What massage stroke is this?
5. When standing still in front of a closed door and pushing on it without it moving, the muscle action/tension is called:
6. Myofascial Pain Syndrome is associated with which of the following.
7. The ability to guide the session, act as the authority and maintain healthy boundaries and a therapeutic relationship is called what?
8. The bones of the arms, legs, pelvis and shoulders make up the appendicular skeleton.
9. During an assessment, a massage therapist asks a client to stand facing the right. What is the therapist assessing?
10. When a bone turns on its own central axis making a circular movement, it is called ________________.
11. In the acronym used to notate interactions with clients, S.O.A.P., what does the O represent?
12. How does massage affect the Immune system?
13. All of the following are types of massage except _________________________.
14. What is the meaning of the Greek root "derm"?
15. A client comes in with a sprain which occurred "3 or 4 days ago". How do you treat the area?
16. What plane divides the body into front and back regions?
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17. Smooth muscle is also known as ___________________.
18. A massage therapist reminds a client of a former high school teacher who was stern with his students, thus making it difficult for the client to relax. What is occurring in this situation?
19. The main purpose of draping is ______.
20. Skeletal muscles normally work __________________.
21. All of the following guidelines should be applied to uphold a good standing professional massage and bodywork practice, except:
22. Skeletal muscle is attached to bone by __________________.
23. While assessing a client, a massage therapist asks that they move their arm against a light applied resistance. What is this called?
24. Which of the following are voluntary muscles ________________.
25. If a massage therapist writes, "hyperkyphosis of the thoracic spine" in his SOAP notes, what is he referring to?
26. Which of the following is not a type of oriental massage therapy?
27. All of the following are bone density and connective tissue disorders which require a doctor's approval to proceed with massage, except this disorder for which clearance cannot be given while the disorder is still present:
28. The hypodermis is directly below what layer of skin?
29. All of the following are serious contraindications for massage except:
30. Where is the liver located?
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31. Which of the following is NOT an effect of massage on the nervous system?
32. With an arm pinned to the side of the body at a 90 degree angle and the palm facing up, what is the movement of the forearm that rotates the palm to face downward?
33. Which of the following techniques should be avoided when massaging appendages presenting with signs of overuse such as varicose veins, swelling or other warnings of poor circulation?
34. What plane divides the body into upper and lower regions?
35. In the event that the initial intake process reveals a pathology or injury that a massage therapist is not trained to work with (pregnancy, COPD, TBI, severe autism), what is the appropriate way to proceed?
36. What connective tissue ensheaths the entire muscle?
37. If a client and a massage therapist desire to engage in an intimate sexual relationship, what is the common waiting period after the termination of the therapist/client relationship?
38. Which of the following is positively affected by regular massage?
39. Blood vessels, hair follicles, nerve receptors and skin glands are located in the ______________________.
40. The axial skeleton contains the skull, vertebral column and rib cage.
41. When a part of the body is toward the side, away from the midline, it is referred to as _____________________.
42. Which of the following are not accepted goals of massage?
43. The ends of a long bone are called ___________________.
44. A client's SOAP notes state that the client presented with pediculosis in their last visit.  What condition did they have?
45. What bones are found in locations where a tendon passes over a joint, such as the hand, knee, and foot?
46. A client presents with diagnosed Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Should this be addressed by a massage therapist? If so, how?
47. The movement of the sole towards the median plane.
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48. A client has been diagnosed with cataplexy.  What condition do they have?
49. One of the main focuses of Oriental massage therapy is restoring a proper flow and balance to the energy in the body.
50. If a client says something during a session that a therapist thinks is a sexual pass, what should the therapist do?

MBLEx Practice Exam Questions Answers Study

Quality starts with who wrote the material.
Our practice exam writer
s
:
Charles Celeste, LMT
, is an instructor in massage therapy at Brightwood College in California.  He has also taught at Baker College and was the program director at the American Career College.  He earned his BA in exercise science from California State University and holds an MBA.  He is MBLEx certified and has been praticing massage therapy for over ten years.


Michelle MacCubbin, LMT
, is an instructor in massage therapy at Miller-Motte Technical College in South Carolina.  Prior to this position, she was an instructor and program director at the McCann School of Business and Technology in Pennsylvania.  She is MBLEx certified with over ten years of experience in the field.


Sara Rennie, LMT
, is a massage instructor at the American Massage and Bodywork Institute in Virginia.  She also tutors students to help them pass the MBLEx. She has worked in the massage industry for over ten years.


Andrew Dacres, LMT
, is an instructor in massage therapy at the Atlanta School of Massage in Georgia.  He has also taught massage therapy at the Georgia Medical Institute and at Sanford-Brown College, where he introduced an MBLEx review class for graduating students. He is an MBLEx certified massage therapist with over ten years of experience in the field.


Chanel Andrade, LMT
, was the lead massage therapy instructor at Everest College for many eyars and, as part of her program, taught an MBLEx prep module.  She has practiced massage therapy for over ten years in California.
Passing the MBLEx is one of the last steps to attain a license as a professional massage therapist in many states.  The Actual MBLEx is 100 questions with a 1 hour and 50 minute (110 minutes) time limit.  Additionally, 5 minutes is allotted for a security agreement and another 5 minutes for a brief survey for a total of 2 hours (120 minutes). 

Actual MBLEx Content Outline (source: The FSMTB Handbook):

Anatomy & Physiology 
11-13 Questions (12%)

Benefits & Physiological Effects of Techniques that Manipulate Soft Tissue
13-16 Questions (14%)

Client Assessment, Reassessment & Treatment Planning
16-18 Questions (17%)

Ethics, Boundaries, Regulations, Laws
14-17 Questions (15%)

Kinesiology
10-12 Questions (11%)

Massage Overview & Bodywork History / Culture / Modalities
4-6 Questions (5%)

Pathology, Contraindications, Special Populations, Areas of Caution
12-15 Questions (13%)

Professional Practice Guidelines
12-15 Questions (13%)