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Quiz about Massage
Quiz about Massage

Massage Trivia Quiz


This quiz will cover some of the basics of massage. Like massage itself, I hope you will find this to be a quiz to share!

A multiple-choice quiz by stuthehistoryguy. Estimated time: 9 mins.
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Time
9 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
236,261
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
15
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
9 / 15
Plays
1210
Awards
Top 35% Quiz
Question 1 of 15
1. Although this quiz is largely derived from clinical source materials (most notably "Mosby's Fundamentals of Therapeutic Massage, Third Edition" by Sandy Fritz), the questions themselves will be appropriate for a general as well as clinical quiztaker. In other words, though a trained massage therapist will find this material familiar, the average person who likes massage will (hopefully) like this quiz as well.

Perhaps the most significant figure in the development of Western massage was Per Henrik Ling (1776-1839), a Swedish researcher who first became interested in massage when he was able to heal the gout in his own elbow by using massage techniques that imitated the positions of Swedish gymnastics. Which of the following is not true of Ling's work?
Hint


Question 2 of 15
2. Which of the following is not a widely applied massage technique? Hint


Question 3 of 15
3. Though some of the benefits of massage are solely mechanical in their direct effect on soft tissue, most of massage's positive effects can be explained as the manipulation of adaptive, predictable reflexes.


Question 4 of 15
4. Neurologists postulate several "laws" of sensory response that have implications for massage. Which of these is not one of them? Hint


Question 5 of 15
5. When beginning a massage, a massager should warm her hands, then gradually but confidently place them on the recipient's body with a deliberate hesitation at arm's length. What name is commonly giving to this means of initiating contact? Hint


Question 6 of 15
6. After the initial contact, the first manipulation the massager usually performs is the gliding stroke. Which of these is true of the gliding stroke? Hint


Question 7 of 15
7. Gliding strokes prepare the body for deeper, vertically-oriented manipulations, typically including kneading and compression. What is a key difference between kneading and compression? Hint


Question 8 of 15
8. First formalized by orthopedic surgeon James Cyriax in the 1940s, this massage manipulation, the only one for which a skin lubricant is generally not advised, is excellent for breaking up local adhesions in connective tissue. It can also reduce pain by hyperstimulating the local nerve cells, though it should not be used over a fresh injury. What is the common term for this technique that both compresses and moves the muscle? Hint


Question 9 of 15
9. Though many folks think of gentle manipulations like gliding strokes, kneading, and compression when they think of massage, practitioners have more vigorous methods at their disposal as well. These include vibration, shaking, and rocking. Perhaps the most counter-intuitive of all these is the administration of non-damaging, "springy" blows to the recipient's body, commonly known as percussion (or tapotement). Percussion can be light (penetrating only the skin and subcutaneous layers) or heavy (penetrating into the muscles or body cavities). Which of the following is not considered a proper method of percussion? Hint


Question 10 of 15
10. Abdominal massage has been shown to have, by far, the most substantial physical effect of any set of massage manipulations. The abdominal sequence should always be done in a counterclockwise motion to avoid peristalsis.


Question 11 of 15
11. When assessing clients' needs, one of the primary tools massage therapists have is to feel the surface of the body with their hands, whether during the initial stages of the massage or prior to it. What is the term commonly used for this form of assessment? Hint


Question 12 of 15
12. In addition to the general benefits of a wellness massage and the great benefits of massage for joint function and muscle stiffness, most massage therapists feel that targeted techniques can assist the efficiency of both lymphatic drainage and blood circulation.


Question 13 of 15
13. A very popular subspecialization of clinical massage is trigger point therapy. A trigger point is "an area of local nerve facilitation of a muscle that is aggravated by stress of any sort affecting the body or mind of the individual" (Fritz, 473). Which of these briefly describes the practice of trigger point therapy? Hint


Question 14 of 15
14. The Japanese bodywork system known as "shiatsu" has emerged in recent years as a major influence on massage therapy. Shiatsu is built on the idea that human energy runs through the body along interconnected pathways known as meridians. Each meridian is associated with an organ system, and either too much or too little energy through that meridian can produce a dysfunction. The core manipulation used in this system is also the source of the word "shiatsu". What is the rough English translation of this term? Hint


Question 15 of 15
15. As opposed to clinical or therapeutic massage, sensual massage is a more intimate experience usually shared between couples. Which of the following is a NOT a major difference between therapeutic and sensual massage (as defined by popular authors like Gordon Inkles)? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Although this quiz is largely derived from clinical source materials (most notably "Mosby's Fundamentals of Therapeutic Massage, Third Edition" by Sandy Fritz), the questions themselves will be appropriate for a general as well as clinical quiztaker. In other words, though a trained massage therapist will find this material familiar, the average person who likes massage will (hopefully) like this quiz as well. Perhaps the most significant figure in the development of Western massage was Per Henrik Ling (1776-1839), a Swedish researcher who first became interested in massage when he was able to heal the gout in his own elbow by using massage techniques that imitated the positions of Swedish gymnastics. Which of the following is not true of Ling's work?

Answer: He was a trained physician, and his incorporation of medical theory with massage led to a wide acceptance of the discipline in the scientific community

Though many physicians did endorse Ling's work, even more dismissed (or ignored) it because of Ling's ignorance of medical physiology. Ling's work was more poetic and mystical in character than it was scientific, using none of the scientific terminology that characterized (and continues to characterize) most rigorous scientific research.

This drove a wedge between massage and medicine, vestiges of which still exist today.
2. Which of the following is not a widely applied massage technique?

Answer: Fromage

Effleurage is the gliding stroke of the massager's hands horizontally over the skin, generating a tensile force against the underlying muscle; this technique is often used early in the massage to apply oil or other lubricants, evaluate the area being massaged, and prepare the tissue for more specific bodywork. Petrissage is the kneading of the skin and other soft tissue; this is especially good for reducing muscle tension. Compression is direct pressure on affected muscles and trigger points, softening the underlying connective tissue; this is the preferred method used in shiatsu and many other East Asian approaches, though it is extensively used in contemporary Western massage as well. Fromage is the French word for cheese, which has minimal application in massage.
3. Though some of the benefits of massage are solely mechanical in their direct effect on soft tissue, most of massage's positive effects can be explained as the manipulation of adaptive, predictable reflexes.

Answer: True

Among the specific muscle reflexes elicited by massage are the stretch reflex (causing muscle contraction), the tendon reflex (which relaxes the muscle) and the flexor and crossed extensor reflexes. Another important reflexive effect is the body's tendency toward entrainment, i.e., the synchonization of erratic, dysfunctional rhythms with the more regular rhythm introduced by massage. Further, muscle pain can often be neurologically overridden by intense stimulation of the affected muscle, effectively overloading the nerves' capacity for pain; this is clinically referred to as hyperstimulation analgesia. Lastly, and perhaps most interesting, massage can predictably produce a number of beneficial endocrine reations, including a decrease in adrenaline, norepinephrine, and cortisol (all associated with stress) and increases in dopamine (associated with elevated mood and ability to focus), serotonin (associated with the individual's ability to behave appropriately, avoid food cravings, and maintain a regular sleep cycle), oxytocin (associated with feelings of belonging and well-being) and endorphins, which elevate mood and moderate pain. Endorphins act on the same neurological receptors as narcotics, and endorphin reactions have been described as a "natural high". I can confirm this anecdotally in my own experience: I once gave a thorough massage to a person who had extensive experience with pain medication.

She described her physical sensations as "like Vicodin and Flexeril combined".
4. Neurologists postulate several "laws" of sensory response that have implications for massage. Which of these is not one of them?

Answer: Weak stimuli inhibit physiologic responses; very strong stimuli activate them

The opposite is true: to elicit a response, use a light stimuli, such as a gliding stroke; to suppress a response (including pain and muscle spasms), use deeper methods. Each of the other three maxims are good guidelines for application of massage technique.

For example, if a muscle is so inflamed that direct massage would be painful, the area can be treated indirectly by massaging the opposite side; this is known as the law of symmetry. Further, methods that lengthen tissue (i.e. stretching) must be intense enough to match the existing shortening but must not exceed it. Finally, if a sensory receptor is activated, it will respond in a specific way whatever the method used. (This is a paraphrase of Fritz, p. 141.)
5. When beginning a massage, a massager should warm her hands, then gradually but confidently place them on the recipient's body with a deliberate hesitation at arm's length. What name is commonly giving to this means of initiating contact?

Answer: The resting position

According to Fritz, "The body needs time to process all the sensory information it receives during massage. Stopping the motions and simply resting the hands on the body provides for this moment of stillness." Confidence is important in applying the resting position; hesitancy can be very unsettling to the recipient.
6. After the initial contact, the first manipulation the massager usually performs is the gliding stroke. Which of these is true of the gliding stroke?

Answer: All of these are true

Some sources also point out the exfoliating effect of the gliding stroke. This manipulation is also known as "effleurage"; sensual massage author Gordon Inkles refers to it as "circulation". The choice of what lubricant to apply, if any, can be crucial to the success of the massage, and the recipient of the massage should allowed to approve or reject any such application. Clinical massage therapists usually eschew scented oils, as they irritate some clients and can provoke an allergic reaction; it is also worth pointing out that aromatherapy is usually considered outside the scope of practice for massage professionals, though this would not apply to amateurs conducting a more personal massage session
7. Gliding strokes prepare the body for deeper, vertically-oriented manipulations, typically including kneading and compression. What is a key difference between kneading and compression?

Answer: Kneading requires that soft tissue be lifted, rolled, and squeezed; compression is direct pressure on soft tissue

Kneading (also known as petrissage) and compression are commonly done on the same parts of the body. Though kneading has a more entrenched history in Western massage, compression has made inroads in recent years with the increasing popularity of shiatsu and the use of compression in on-site and sports massage; though the portion of the body being compressed is often undraped in a full body massage, compression strokes can usually be done over clothing without sacrificing effectiveness. Compression is also useful if tickling is an issue or if body hair makes gliding strokes and petrissage uncomfortable.
8. First formalized by orthopedic surgeon James Cyriax in the 1940s, this massage manipulation, the only one for which a skin lubricant is generally not advised, is excellent for breaking up local adhesions in connective tissue. It can also reduce pain by hyperstimulating the local nerve cells, though it should not be used over a fresh injury. What is the common term for this technique that both compresses and moves the muscle?

Answer: Friction

Friction techniques can be used to produce a "therapeutic irritation", and can be rather extreme. After being frictioned, an area may be sensitive to touch for up to two days. This irritation is a result of histamine release, and it should feel kind of like the soreness after a workout.
9. Though many folks think of gentle manipulations like gliding strokes, kneading, and compression when they think of massage, practitioners have more vigorous methods at their disposal as well. These include vibration, shaking, and rocking. Perhaps the most counter-intuitive of all these is the administration of non-damaging, "springy" blows to the recipient's body, commonly known as percussion (or tapotement). Percussion can be light (penetrating only the skin and subcutaneous layers) or heavy (penetrating into the muscles or body cavities). Which of the following is not considered a proper method of percussion?

Answer: Snapping - short movements of the wrist to provide light penetration

The wrist should never provide the snap action of a percussion stroke. Though doing this may "seem right" at times, it is a good way to incur a repetitive use injury.
10. Abdominal massage has been shown to have, by far, the most substantial physical effect of any set of massage manipulations. The abdominal sequence should always be done in a counterclockwise motion to avoid peristalsis.

Answer: False

Reputable researchers differ on whether or not massage affects peristalsis, the transportation of food and wastes through the digestive system (which, at the risk of being obvious, is something to be encouraged and not avoided). That being said, if abdominal strokes are part of a massage, they should always be done in a clockwise fashion, the direction that material takes through the colon area, to avoid fecal impaction.
11. When assessing clients' needs, one of the primary tools massage therapists have is to feel the surface of the body with their hands, whether during the initial stages of the massage or prior to it. What is the term commonly used for this form of assessment?

Answer: Palpation

There are fourteen palpations in a standard assessment: near-touch (usually done with the back of the hand to see if any areas are unusually hot), skin surface (to check for dampness, unusual "goose bump" reflexes, and skin growths), skin, skin and superficial connective tissue (to find areas that are "stuck", too loose, or easily inflamed, usually done with petrissage), connective tissue, vessels and lymph nodes, muscles, tendons, fascial sheaths, ligaments, joints, bones, abdominal viscera, and body rhythms (to see if any such rhythms, like respiration, circulation, and craniosacral rhythm, are out of synch). Palpation is only one tool of assessment for the massage therapist. For others, including gait assessment and kinesthetic techniques, see Fritz, Chapter 10.
12. In addition to the general benefits of a wellness massage and the great benefits of massage for joint function and muscle stiffness, most massage therapists feel that targeted techniques can assist the efficiency of both lymphatic drainage and blood circulation.

Answer: True

To target the lymph system, the consensus methodology is to gently pump the thorax to encourage drainage, then perform a "combination of short, light, pumping gliding strokes beginning close to the torso" in the direction of lymph drainage points (Fritz, 464). To encourage blood circulation, compression strokes are first performed on major arteries going away from the heart toward the extremities, then short gliding strokes are performed from the extremities back in to assist venous return flow.
13. A very popular subspecialization of clinical massage is trigger point therapy. A trigger point is "an area of local nerve facilitation of a muscle that is aggravated by stress of any sort affecting the body or mind of the individual" (Fritz, 473). Which of these briefly describes the practice of trigger point therapy?

Answer: Trigger points are located during palpation by feeling for twitch responses and other outward manifestations, and are treated by pressure and stretching methods

This summary is very cursory; trigger point therapy at its highest level of development uses a wide variety of techniques. These can be more painful to the client than more orthodox massage practices, though experts in the field emphasize that this pain should be within an endurable threshold and that trigger point massage should be of much shorter duration than other massage routines. Stimulation with needles is characteristic of acupuncture, stimulation and holding energy are identified with polarity therapy, and the correlation of parts of the foot with other parts of the body is a tenet of reflexology.
14. The Japanese bodywork system known as "shiatsu" has emerged in recent years as a major influence on massage therapy. Shiatsu is built on the idea that human energy runs through the body along interconnected pathways known as meridians. Each meridian is associated with an organ system, and either too much or too little energy through that meridian can produce a dysfunction. The core manipulation used in this system is also the source of the word "shiatsu". What is the rough English translation of this term?

Answer: Finger pressure

Like many East Asian bodywork systems, shiatsu is build on the Taoist principle that balance in all things is the preferred way of existence. Though shiatsu is built on a different comprehension of human physiology than most Western techniques, this idea is very similar to the goal of homeostasis that many massage therapists strive for in their practice.

A major criticism of "borrowing" from shiatsu is that Western therapists tend to lift techniques from shiatsu without accounting for their philosophical context.

However, this criticism has been discounted by Zen shiatsu authors Shitzuto Masunaga and Wataru Ohashi, who emphasize that the goal of all bodywork is so similar as to override what are really very superficial philosophical differences that matter little to the person being healed.
15. As opposed to clinical or therapeutic massage, sensual massage is a more intimate experience usually shared between couples. Which of the following is a NOT a major difference between therapeutic and sensual massage (as defined by popular authors like Gordon Inkles)?

Answer: Sensual massage does not use the specialized strokes that massage therapists utilize, and there is very little if any wellness benefit from sensual massage

Though this should not be construed to mean that an intimate rub is a medical substitute for treatment by a trained therapist, there is not a great deal of difference between the basic strokes advocated by sensual massage teachers like Inkles and the core clinical massage manipulations covered on the National Certification Exam, and a thorough massage by a skilled partner can confer many of the health benefits of a professional wellness massage. Major differences can be seen, however, in the application of those techniques and the training of the therapist. Because a massage practitioner may have to work on over thirty clients a week, leverage and other ergonomic techniques must be employed, and the practitioner usually stands at a right angle to the client during treatment with no contact between the bodies.

This precludes the intimacy that characterizes sensual massage (where one partner typically bends over the other - a big no-no in massage therapy), but the massage therapist is there to help the client, not to have a good time. Further, the client is typically fully draped in a therapeutic massage for both modesty and warmth.

These drapes (be they sheets, towels, or other coverings) are only partially pulled back to expose the area being worked on, then replaced when that portion of the massage is done. Modesty of this nature is not typical of sensual massage, though draping can be a good idea, as one tends to get cold if there is a breeze in the room and lubricant is used. Perhaps most importantly, massage therapists are thoroughly trained in specific range of motion techniques and the formulation of care plans for specific dysfuntions. Though massage between couples may provide important wellness benefits (as do many other self-care practices), a massage therapist is more prepared to deal with profound physical problems than even the most devoted partner. That being said, the interested quiztaker is encouraged to learn more about massage - it really is the gift that keeps on giving!
Source: Author stuthehistoryguy

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor crisw before going online.
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