Swedish Massage

What is Massage?


Massage is a combination of various movements used to manipulate tissues for both local and overall effects and benefits. The movements range from gentle stroking to invigorating friction, depending on the desired effect. Massage is generally based on the Swedish system and several types of massage have developed which incorporate these techniques for different therapeutic effects.

What is Swedish Massage?


The Swedish system of massage is named after the man who developed it, Per Henrik Ling. He was a physiologist and fencing master and developed a system of movements which he found helpful for improving his health and maintaining his physical condition. Classical massage is still based on the techniques he used, i.e. effleurage, petrissage and percussion.

What is effleurage?


The name effleurage derives from effleurer, a French word meaning 'to touch lightly’. It is generally a gentle, sweeping, relaxing stroke, with varying levels of pressure, used at the beginning and end of a massage.


It can also be used with firm pressure over large areas once the muscles are relaxed. Unlike petrissage and percussion, effleurage does not aim to move or manipulate tissues or muscles, only to soothe and relax them and improve circulation.


Effleurage helps to prepare the body for massage, introducing the client to the therapist's touch, spreading the massage medium such as oil or cream (if used), warming the skin and relaxing the client. It is also used after more invigorating strokes to help the elimination of toxins from the areas that have been worked.


It can also help desquamation, especially when used deeply, and thus help the skin to regenerate. Effleurage on the limbs with the pressure working towards the heart assists the return of blood to the heart and aids lymph drainage. Deep effleurage also pushes blood into superficial capillaries.

What is petrissage?


Petrissage, like effleurage, is a name deriving from French. Petrir means to knead or rub with force and rubbing movements to manipulate tissues and muscles. It uses the pressure of the hands or fingers to break down tension. There are various methods: in some cases only the fingers and / or thumbs are used to knead the tissues, in others the whole hand is used. Petrissage stretches the muscles, improving their suppleness and elasticity, and helps break down tension and stiffness in tissues and large muscles.


Such stiffness is often caused by the build-up of toxins such as lactic acid. Petrissage helps release and break down these toxins, enabling the muscles to work more efficiently. It also stimulates the circulation and is very useful in sports massage. Despite the firmness of the stroke it is more relaxing than invigorating because it releases any tight muscles and the toxins within.

What is Friction?


The name friction, like many others used in massage, comes from a Latin Word, fricare, which means to rub or rub down. Friction techniques are all variations of rubbing and they work by compressing tissue against bone. It is often used for close work on a small area or on specific areas of tightness. Friction movements heat up the local area, improve circulation, promote lymph drainage, stimulate the nerves and loosen tightness in the muscles. Working very closely with the muscles helps to break down any local 'knottiness' or lumpiness.


Cross-fibre friction helps stretch the muscle fibres and release any tension held in the muscle; it also allows the therapist, particularly in sports massage, to work close to a damaged or inflamed area without touching it because working on one section of muscle helps stretch the rest of the muscle.

What is percussion?


Percussion derives from the Latin word percutere meaning to hit. Percussion techniques are brisk, invigorating and stimulating strokes, which use the hands to strike the body rapidly and suddenly. The classic ' chopping ' motion associated with Swedish massage is a percussion technique called hacking. The others are pounding, beating, cupping and tapoament.


Percussion is the most invigorating of massage techniques. It improves local and overall circulation, warms the skin and muscles, improves muscle tone both because of the physical effect of the treatment and because of the improved circulation, help s break up fat deposits in fleshy areas and invigorates the nerves.