Swedish Massage Techniques

Pétrissage*

*Increases elasticity, moves blood and lymph.* "To knead". A non-gliding stroke that "milks" the muscle. Grasps tissue between fingers and thumbs or between both hands. Avoid pinching. Raise skin and tissue away from the body to affect deeper tissues. Use on fleshier parts, like arms and calves.

Cupping

*Best for chest congestion.* Can be performed over any area. Both hands create a pocket of air over muscles. Should create a "popping" sound.

Vibration*

*Breaks pain cycle, releases tension.* Confuses nervous system, desensitizes tissues. Should range between 5-10 oscillations per second. Fingertips stay in contact with tissue, no gliding.

Effleurage*

*Creates length or the sensation of length, warms the muscles for deeper work.* Hands learn contours of body. most versatile and frequently used stroke. Repetition of gliding strokes. Consistent, even pressure.

Connecting Effleurage

*Feels nurturing and integrates the massage creating a feeling of length.* Connecting Effleurage.

Palmer Friction

*Gliding Apply to tight areas to increase circulation and warm area prior to deeper work. Work on long, broad parts of body like back and hamstrings. Perform with entire surface of palms and fingers. Brief movements in succession without lifting from body, opposing or same directions, until tissue feels warm or look red.

Chucking

*Gliding Around forearm and ankle. Do not extend thumb beyond 90-degree angle. Thumb and fingers in a "C" shape wrapped around limb, move proximally to create heat.

Rolling

*Gliding Roll muscles around axis of bone, relaxes entire groups of muscles or limbs. Palms on either side of limb, roll muscle in alternating directions until tissues relaxes and warms.

Ulnar Friction

*Gliding Use over smaller or rounded parts of body, increases circulation, creates heat. Performed slowest. Most useful around joints like scapula and smaller areas where palm does not fit. With ulnar side of hand, "C" shape.

Wringing

*Gliding Used in prone position. Groups of muscles like extremities, increases heat and circulation. Torque tissue. Use lotion as to not burn skin.

Types of Friction (9)

*Gliding: increases blood flow, creates heat.* Palmer Ulnar Wringing Chucking Rolling *Non-Gliding: Deeper, broadens muscle. * Cross-Fiber Longitudinal Circular Compression

Friction*

*Increases circulation, breaks up scar tissue.* Use minimal amounts of lotion. Gliding strokes increase blood flow and create heat. Non-Gliding moves superficial tissues against deeper tissues to broaden.

Vertical Vibration

Effective for releasing tension within a small area of tissue. Can be used to relax and warm area prior to deeper, specific work. Apply pressure in a vertical (up and down) movement into the tissue. Fingers stay in contact with body, no gliding.

One-Handed Petrissage

For muscles that fit in the palm of your hand, commonly on forearms, biceps, triceps, and soleus. Grasp tissue with flat surface of fingers and thumbs, muscle in palm, apply circular movements while squeezing the tissue away from the body. One muscle is addressed, full circles completed, thumbs keep muscle in place.

Shaking

Great technique to utilize when client is very tense and cannot relax. Lift limb gently to avoid hyper-extending joint. Move limb back and forth, but against what the natural action of the joint would be.

Superficial Effleurage

Lighter, but firm, strokes produce a temporary increase in capillary dilation - increase blood flow to superficial tissues. Soothing to nervous system when long, connecting and repetitive. Allow hands to relax, mold contours. Skin should not move under hands. Transitional stroke to prepare for deeper work. Your connection with client.

Deep Effleurage

Produces a mechanical effect. Supports blood and lymph flow back to the heart, strokes have a broadening or lengthening effect. Same as superficial but deeper: Allow hands to relax, mold contours. Apply repetitive strokes with same pressure and speed, always in the direction of the heart to support blood flow. Use body mechanics to apply more depth. Notice color change and temperature increase.

Skin Rolling

*Lifts superficial tissues, breaks up adhesions.* Use with or without lotion. Flat surfaces of fingers and thumbs to lift subcutaneous tissue, while "walking the skin" forward. Proper body mechanics. "Barking Dogs"

Types of Vibration (4)

*Manual:* Vertical Horizontal Jostling Shaking *Mechanical: Can substitute for Manual Vibration*

Cross-Fiber Friction

*Non-Gliding *Best stroke to reduce scar tissue.* Broadens muscles. Compress area of concern, fingers move across tissue, move flesh under skin. To avoid irritation the compressive stroke is done in one direction. Keep contact with tissue, but do not apply pressure on return pass.

Longitudinal Friction

*Non-Gliding Apply to specific areas of tightness or thickness. Elongates and realigns collagen fibers within fascia. Performed same as Cross-Fiber except direction of stroke follows muscle fiber.

Compression

*Non-Gliding May be stimulating or sedative. Usually used at beginning or end of session. Presses layers of tissue together causing an increase in blood flow to area after therapist completes a technique. With palms of hands, slightly bend elbows, use body mechanics to apply pressure, hold for 3 seconds.

Circular Friction

*Non-Gliding Use fingers or palms of hands to compress tight tissue. Relieves knots and adhesions. On neck, pecks, lower back and rectors.

Tapotment*

*Stimulates, tones muscle, increases circulation.* Performed at the end of a segment or at end of massage across entire body. Never perform over kidneys or bony landmarks. Get proper feedback and watch for non-verbal cues. *Never on a client with PTSD.*

Feathering

Affects nervous system. Creates a stimulating and/or sedating effect. At end of segment, before re-draping, at end, or to alleviate areas of tension. Great transitional stroke. Use finger pads, alternate hands to create long, light pressured connecting strokes, proximal to distal.

Types of Effleurage (5)

Aura (Ethereal) Feathering Superficial Deep Connecting

Two-Finger Petrissage

Apply to small areas like posterior neck, Achilles tendon, segments of muscle on forearm. Use flat parts of first two digits and thumb, movement comes from fingers not thumb. Completed circular movements. No gliding.

Beginning and Ending a Stroke

Intentionally beginning and ending a stroke creates a sense of trust that encourages the client to let go and relax. Keep two hands on the body as much as possible. Always begin as if you were entering the clients space for the first time. Strokes feel best when they feel complete.

Aura or Ethereal

Introduces therapist to client's body. Open palms trace 3-6 inches over body, superior to inferior. Used at beginning OR end for grounding, never during due to break of contact. For amputated limbs.

Hacking

Knowledge of the muscle fiber orientation is important to achieve desire effect. Hack across fibers to stimulate. Never perform over fatigued or hyper-tonic areas as cramping may result. Wrists remain loose and flexible, use ulnar side of hands.

Fulling

Performed on larger muscle groups i.e. hamstrings, quadriceps, soleus. DO NOT use on gastrocnemius. Lift muscle off the bone using the heels of hands, then compress back into the bone with heels of hands. Do not pinch skin into table.

Tapping

Random light tapping "piano" or all fingers together. Effective over face and forehead to relieve tension and invigorate client. One rhythmic motion sedates larger muscles. Wrists and hands remain relaxed and fingers slightly curled.

Horizontal Vibration

Releases tension in small areas of muscle but can also release an entire muscle or group of muscles as a result of the movement generated over larger areas. Performed the same as Vertical Vibration, except fingers move horizontally (back and forth). Fingers stay in contact with the body, no gliding.

Two-Handed Petrissage

Same as One-Handed. Used to cover more surface area. Hand may or may not alternate, full circles are completed. Alternating directions, one hand pulls the other compresses- "Milking".

Opposing Petrissage

Same as Two-Handed but working opposing muscles groups. Biceps/Triceps Hamstrings/Quadriceps.

Types of Pétrissage (6)

Skin Rolling Two-Finger One-Handed Two-Handed Opposing Fulling

Types of Tapotment (5)

Tapping Hacking Cupping Slapping Beating

Beating

Used over larger, thicker muscles as this technique has deepest effect on tissues. Should not be performed over fatigued or hyper-tonic muscles to avoid painful cramping. Relaxed fists applied using ulnar side of hands.

Jostling

Used with very little lotion. Most effective with smaller to medium size muscles like gastrocnemius or biceps. Jostle larger muscles in sections to prevent hyper-extension of thumb. Use the "claw" hand to lift muscle away from body while vibrating and shaking.

Slapping

Very stimulating, can startle a client in deep relaxation. Movement comes from wrists, relaxed hands, light pressure.