Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx)

Most employers of massage therapists require that their employees be licensed to work in their facility. In fact, if a massage therapist is not licensed, it may send the message that the therapist is not qualified or reputable; therefore, obtaining a massage and bodywork license is strongly recommended.

The Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx) is offered by the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB). There are two ways to become eligible to take the FSMTB:

1. To be deemed eligible to take the MBLEx by the FSMTB, an application must be submitted, proof of education and training in the test areas, agree in writing to follow FSMTB's policies, and pay a $195 application fee,
or

2. To be deemed eligible to take the MBLEx by a state licensing board or agency, the applicant must be approved by the board or agency, as well as agree in writing to follow the FSMTB's policies, and pay a $195 application fee.

Candidates have 2 ½ hours to complete 125 multiple-choice questions. Tests are scored on a scaled basis. The lowest possible score a candidate can achieve on the examination is 300 and the highest score is 900. A minimum score of 630 is required to pass the test. An outline of content that candidates can expect to see covered on the examination is presented below:

Anatomy and physiology: 14 percent

System structure

• Circulation
• Digestive
• Endocrine
• Integumentary
• Lymphatic
• Muscular
• Nervous
• Reproduction
• Respiratory
• Skeletal
• Special Senses
• Urinary

System function

• Circulation
• Digestive
• Endocrine
• Integumentary
• Lymphatic
• Muscular
• Nervous
• Reproduction
• Respiratory
• Skeletal
• Special Senses
• Urinary

Healthcare related and medical terminology
Tissue injury and repair
Concepts of energetic anatomy

Kinesiology: 11 percent

Components and characteristics of muscles
Concepts of muscle contractions
Proprioceptors
Locations, attachments, actions, and fiber directions of muscles
Joint structure and function

Range of motion

• Active
• Passive
• Resistant

Pathology, contraindications, areas of caution, and special populations: 13 percent

Common pathologies

Contraindications

• Site specific
• Pathology related
• Special populations
• Tools
• Special applications

Areas of caution
Special populations
Classes of medications

Benefits and physiological effects of techniques that touch and manipulate soft tissue: 17 percent

Identification of the physiological effects of soft tissue manipulation
Psychological aspects and benefits of touch
Benefits of soft tissue manipulation for specific client populations

Soft tissue techniques

• Types of strokes
• Sequence of applications

Hot and cold applications

Client assessment, reassessment, and treatment planning: 17 percent

Organization of a massage therapy session
Client consultation and evaluation (verbal intake and health history form)
Written data collection
Visual assessment
Palpitation assessment
Range of motion assessment
Goal setting and the formulation of a treatment strategy

Overview of massage and bodywork history, culture, and modalities: 5 percent

Ethics, boundaries, laws and regulations: 13 percent

Ethical behavior
Professional boundaries
Code of ethics violations
The therapeutic relationship
Dual relationships
Sexual misconduct
Massage and bodywork-related laws and regulations
Scope of practice
Professional communication
Confidentiality
Principles

Guidelines for professional practice: 10 percent

Proper and safe use of equipment and supplies
Therapist hygiene
Sanitation and cleanliness
Therapist care
Safety practices
Draping
Business practices