Massage Therapy
Technique
The massage therapy technique used during a massage session may vary
considerably. Exactly which massage therapy technique will be used
depends on the purpose of the massage and the preferences of the client.
In general, however, it is possible to identify a set of massage strokes
that tend to be a part of most massage therapy approaches.
Basic Massage Strokes
Effleurage
Effleurage is the most common stroke used
in massage therapy. It is a gentle sliding of the hands over the skin. For the
most part, effleurage strokes are pointed towards the heart. Effleurage is
used at the beginning of a massage therapy session, to enable the
therapist to get a sense of the customer's body. It is also used at the
end of a massage therapy session as a gentle wind-down.
Simple as it is, the massage therapy technique known as effleurage
increases blood flow to the skin and to some muscles.
Tapotement
Tapotement refers to massage by hitting. It is a general term, covering a
number of more specific massage therapy techniques. Tapotement is used particularly
heavily in warm-up massage for athletic events, but is generally an
important part of Swedish massage therapy.
Tapotement is best performed on areas of the skin which do not have bones
or particularly sensitive spots just underneath.
*Hacking - Hacking is a form of very light, rapid tapotement, in
which the massage therapist hits the client with the fingers of each hand
alternately.
* Cupping - Cupping is something like slapping with a cupped palm.
* Beating - Beating is a massage therapy technique in
which the therapist gently beats on the patient's skin with the bottom of
each fist alternately.
* Pummeling - Pummeling is a punching type of action, done
rhythmically and evenly with both hands. Since it can feel more intensive
than most massage therapy strokes, it is generally only performed on areas with a
good covering of flesh.
Petrissage
Petrissage refers to massage therapy techniques that consist of short,
circular strokes that pick up and squeeze the muscles. These techniques
improve blood flow to the muscles, and can also help the muscles to
eliminate their waste products.
* Plucking - Plucking is a massage therapy technique that involves gently lifting a spot of skin, and
then letting it slowly slide back through the fingers.
* Raking - Raking is a way of massaging the back and sides
by following the contours of the ribcage.
* C-Bowing - This massage therapy stroke gets its name because an area of
skin is bent into the shape of the letter C. The therapist pushes the
thumbs gently into the skin, and pulls back with the fingers. The result
is that the skin gets distorted into a C shape.
* J Stroke - This is another massage therapy technique so named because the stroke used makes a shape
like a letter. This stroke is made with the knuckles of a clenched fist,
pressing quite deeply into the skin and moving in a J shape.
Friction
Friction is a massage therapy technique aimed at the muscles. As well as the usual
benefits of increased circulation, friction strokes can break up knots of
muscle. Variants of friction can use different parts of the hand, and they
are mostly performed quite quickly. Friction can be performed:
* With the palm
* With the knuckles
* With the fingertips
* With the thumbs
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