This MBLEx cheat sheet strips the FSMTB content outline down to the facts examiners test most, organized so you can cram all seven content areas fast. It's a premium cheat sheet built by Capital Prep — the one premium prep we trust — and it's yours free. Reinforce it with the rest of your free MBLEx toolkit: the practice test, study guide, and flashcards.
MBLEx exam at a glance
- Questions: 100 multiple-choice (all scored)
- Format: Fixed-length computer-adaptive test (CAT) at Pearson VUE
- Time: 110 minutes within a ~2-hour appointment
- Result: Pass/Fail — criterion-referenced; non-passers get a per-area diagnostic
- Cost: $265 per attempt (same for a retake; verify current fee on the FSMTB application)
- Administered by: Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)
What’s on the MBLEx cheat sheet
- Client Assessment, Reassessment & Treatment Planning (17%) — the largest area — intake, palpation, range of motion, SOAP notes, and planning.
- Ethics, Boundaries, Laws & Regulations (16%) — scope of practice, the therapeutic relationship, confidentiality, informed consent, and draping.
- Benefits & Effects of Soft Tissue Manipulation (15%) — the five Swedish strokes and the mechanical versus reflexive effects of massage.
- Guidelines for Professional Practice (15%) — body mechanics, sanitation and standard precautions, equipment, and positioning.
- Pathology, Contraindications & Special Populations (14%) — the three contraindication tiers, endangerment sites, and adapting for special populations.
- Kinesiology (12%) — planes of motion, joint movements, muscle roles, and major-muscle origins, insertions, and actions.
- Anatomy & Physiology (11%) — the body systems, directional terms, and musculoskeletal foundations.
How to use it in your final week
- Front-load the two heaviest areas — Client Assessment (17%) and Ethics/Boundaries (16%) together are about a third of the exam. If the sheet earns you points anywhere, make it here.
- Drill the contraindication tiers until they're reflexive: absolute (no massage — DVT, fever), local (avoid the area — bruise, open wound), general (modify or clear). DVT is the one to never miss.
- Reread the sheet the morning of your test for a final pass on the memory hooks — the five Swedish strokes, the four muscle roles, the three planes of motion, and the SOAP note order.
- Pair each review pass with a short timed set (aim for ~66 seconds per question to match 100 items in 110 minutes) so your pacing stays sharp, not just your recall.
The cheat sheet is your review layer — your MBLEx practice test drives the exam-readiness ring at the top of this page. Download it, review, then take a full practice exam (or drill with the study guide and flashcards) to see where you stand.
MBLEx cheat sheet FAQ
Yes — download it as a PDF with no account and no sign-up. It sits alongside Career Employer's free MBLEx practice test, study guide, and flashcards, so your whole review layer is free.
It condenses the highest-yield facts from all seven FSMTB content areas: the three tiers of contraindications, the five Swedish strokes, muscle roles and the planes of motion, ethics and draping rules, and the client-assessment steps — the material examiners lean on most.
No — treat it as a fast recall tool, not your only prep. Use it to lock in facts you've already learned, then confirm you're ready with timed practice tests, since the exam runs 100 questions in 110 minutes across seven areas.
It's built from the current FSMTB content outline and candidate handbook, and it reflects modern reversals — cancer is a caution rather than an absolute contraindication, and there is no blanket first-trimester pregnancy ban.
Click the download button or the preview card near the top of this page to open the PDF instantly. Bookmark the page so you can pull it up again the morning of your exam.
References
- 1.Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB). “MBLEx Content Outline.” fsmtb.org, 2026. ↑
- 2.Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB). “MBLEx Candidate Handbook.” fsmtb.org, 2026. ↑
- 3.Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB). “MBLEx FAQs (fee, format, results).” fsmtb.org, 2026. ↑
- 4.Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB). “MBLEx Process & Requirements.” fsmtb.org, 2026. ↑
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