Swedish Massage
Swedish massage is a relaxing and a soft massage done with oils that aid tranquil, gliding strokes known as effleurage. This article focuses on simple Swedish massage techniques and therapies.
If it's your first visit to a rejuvenation spa, it would be good to introduce yourself to the world of relaxation with Swedish massage. The goal of a Swedish massage is to relax the entire body by rubbing the muscles, with long fluid movements in the same direction of blood returning toward the heart. It not only increases the levels of oxygen in the blood, but also improves circulation and flexibility, decreases toxins, and eases tension.
Swedish Massage Techniques
Swedish massage therapy has six different techniques of long, flowing strokes that make for the entire massage session. Let's take a look at a detailed explanation of how each of these executed.
Effleurage: To warm up the muscles before the deep tissue massage, the masseuse applies gentle gliding strokes with the palms, thumbs, and fingertips. With long, circular, and sweeping strokes, the massage concentrates more than one part of the body. Basically what effleurage does is connect one part of the body to the others, making it seem as if someone is breaking the muscles instead of relaxing them. All Swedish massages start and end with the effleurage strokes which targets to promote healthy functions of the veins.
Petrissage: There are four basic methods to this Swedish massage while performing the petrissage movement: pick-up and squeeze, kneading, squeezing, and skin rolling. During this type of massage, slight force is required to compact the fundamental muscles. Kneading requires slow, rhythmic movements performed with the knuckles and then elevate in upward, round moves. It doesn't concentrate any specific area of the body, but this type of Swedish massage penetrates deep in the muscles. An advanced petrissage movement of scissoring requires a flat surface on the body and massaged with little pressure.
Tapotement: A more technical movement used in Swedish massage, tapotement is performed with palms, side of the hands, or fingertips. When the masseuse uses his/her palms or the side of the hands, it's called hacking. The area concentrated by the masseuse helps in stimulating specific areas of the body and aids in loosening it as well. If someone has any tension built up in their back and/or shoulders, gentle tapping strokes are used to release them. With addition to tapping and hacking, tapotement movements also uses fingers and hands for gentle pinching and slapping moves during the massage.
Vibration: A specific area of the body is concentrated as the masseuse shakes the area to treat it. Similar to the tapotement movement, vibration technique also loosens the muscles with the help of fingertips, base of the palm, and/or side of the palms. The vibration strokes are repeated throughout the body as it releases each muscle tension. The vibration technique relaxes small areas like your face or neck, and large areas like your thighs or spine.
Friction: The only Swedish massage that concentrates on deeper muscles with strong pressure strokes, friction technique is performed by putting weight of the masseuse onto the receiver. It's a consecutive sliding, circular movement where the masseuse generates heat by rubbing the palms of the hands firmly on the receiver's skin. With the help of the knuckles, thumbs, fingers, and back of forearms, the friction movement can be achieved.
Swedish Massage Therapy Benefits
With numerous mental and physical massage therapy benefits, today, Swedish massage is popular throughout the world. Take a look at some these benefits mentioned below.
Swedish Massage Techniques
Swedish massage therapy has six different techniques of long, flowing strokes that make for the entire massage session. Let's take a look at a detailed explanation of how each of these executed.
Effleurage: To warm up the muscles before the deep tissue massage, the masseuse applies gentle gliding strokes with the palms, thumbs, and fingertips. With long, circular, and sweeping strokes, the massage concentrates more than one part of the body. Basically what effleurage does is connect one part of the body to the others, making it seem as if someone is breaking the muscles instead of relaxing them. All Swedish massages start and end with the effleurage strokes which targets to promote healthy functions of the veins.
Petrissage: There are four basic methods to this Swedish massage while performing the petrissage movement: pick-up and squeeze, kneading, squeezing, and skin rolling. During this type of massage, slight force is required to compact the fundamental muscles. Kneading requires slow, rhythmic movements performed with the knuckles and then elevate in upward, round moves. It doesn't concentrate any specific area of the body, but this type of Swedish massage penetrates deep in the muscles. An advanced petrissage movement of scissoring requires a flat surface on the body and massaged with little pressure.
Tapotement: A more technical movement used in Swedish massage, tapotement is performed with palms, side of the hands, or fingertips. When the masseuse uses his/her palms or the side of the hands, it's called hacking. The area concentrated by the masseuse helps in stimulating specific areas of the body and aids in loosening it as well. If someone has any tension built up in their back and/or shoulders, gentle tapping strokes are used to release them. With addition to tapping and hacking, tapotement movements also uses fingers and hands for gentle pinching and slapping moves during the massage.
Vibration: A specific area of the body is concentrated as the masseuse shakes the area to treat it. Similar to the tapotement movement, vibration technique also loosens the muscles with the help of fingertips, base of the palm, and/or side of the palms. The vibration strokes are repeated throughout the body as it releases each muscle tension. The vibration technique relaxes small areas like your face or neck, and large areas like your thighs or spine.
Friction: The only Swedish massage that concentrates on deeper muscles with strong pressure strokes, friction technique is performed by putting weight of the masseuse onto the receiver. It's a consecutive sliding, circular movement where the masseuse generates heat by rubbing the palms of the hands firmly on the receiver's skin. With the help of the knuckles, thumbs, fingers, and back of forearms, the friction movement can be achieved.
Swedish Massage Therapy Benefits
With numerous mental and physical massage therapy benefits, today, Swedish massage is popular throughout the world. Take a look at some these benefits mentioned below.
- Improves the quality of sleep.
- Relieves stress, depression, irritation, and anxiety.
- Helps concentrate on daily activities and improves overall well-being.
- Increases muscle strength, strengthens connective tissues, and relieves cramps and muscles spasm.
- Sedates the nervous system and stimulates good blood circulation.
- Firms up the muscles and skin tone, and speeds the healing process after an injury or illness.
- Swedish massage aids in relieving symptoms like arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, asthma, headache, TJM (temporomandibular joint) dysfunction, and some athletic injuries.
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