Swedish Massage
Posted on March 23, 2008
Filed Under Massage Techniques, Swedish Massage |
Developed by a Swedish doctor, Pir Henrik Ling in the 1700’s, the term “Swedish Massage” refers to a variety of techniques designed to enhance oxygen flow in the blood and release toxins, such as lactic and uric acid and other metabolic wastes from body tissues. It is very effective for increasing blood circulation without increasing heart load. A Swedish massage can help reduce stress, both emotional and physical in addition to providing medical benefits.
Swedish massage feels wonderful to receive as well as relaxing and energizing. It affects nerves, muscles, glands, and the circulation while at the same time promoting ones well-being. An organic almond or grape seed oil is used with a combination of light or intense pressure that depends upon the receiver. Swedish massage techniques include: effleurage, friction, petrissage, tapottement, traction and vibration. A typically full body session continues for an hour.
Effleurage is the technique most people associate with massage in general and Swedish massage in particular. In doing effleurage, the masseur makes use of long and sweeping strokes that cover more than just one area of the body. Though it makes the client feel like his muscles are being broken down, the purpose of effleurage is actually to connect one part of the body to the others.
Heat makes the muscles relax and friction is used to make the area to be treated warm up. A masseur would make use of the friction technique by rubbing the palms of her hands briskly on the surface of the client’s skin. She can also do this by rubbing her palms together and then laying them on the skin of the client.
Petrissage is the act of kneading and squeezing the muscles of the body. Petrissage does not target or focus on any particular part of the body, but the process of kneading the body’s muscles allows for deeper and more penetrating effects of massage.
Tapottement are strokes that aim to energize the area of the body that the masseur is treating. This is done by chopping the area with the sides of the hands. It can also be done by hitting the area being treated steadily with cupped or fisted hands. Tapottement is aimed towards energizing the area being treated, yet at the same time making it loosened and relaxed.
Traction involves pulling at the arms and legs of the client, and sometimes also the head. The act of pulling stretches the muscles of the client. Traction is always done as part of the last portion of the massage routine because pulling needs to have the muscles relaxed; otherwise, it would hurt.
The vibration technique is used by the masseur to shake up the area of the client’s body that she is treating. This is done by moving the heel of the hand, or sometimes the side of the hand, or even the fingertips, forward and backward across the skin to loosen the muscles of that particular area.
Most of us experience stress in varying levels on a day-to-day basis. Stress is not good for the health because it makes our muscles tense and bunch up, causing pain. Also, it makes the organs of our body function under coercion. That is never good. Swedish massage is meant to alleviate pain and enhance the body’s health.
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