College of Massage Therapists of British Columbia (CMTBC) Practice Exam

Which muscle is affected by the contract-relax technique?

1. The antagonist muscle

2. The tight agonist muscle

3. The primary muscle of movement

4. The stabilizing muscle

The correct answer is: The tight agonist muscle

The contract-relax technique is specifically designed to target the tight agonist muscle. This technique involves the client contracting the muscle that is being stretched (the agonist) before relaxing it, which facilitates an increase in range of motion and helps to alleviate muscle tightness. By contracting the tight agonist muscle, it becomes temporarily stronger and, once relaxed, it allows for a greater stretch in the muscle due to the reciprocal inhibition that occurs when the muscle relaxes following contraction. In this context, focusing on the tight agonist muscle is key because it is this muscle that is often involved in limiting mobility and flexibility due to its state of tightness. Thus, the correct answer highlights the muscle that the contract-relax technique is intended to benefit, making it central to understanding the purpose and application of this therapeutic approach.