The human body, especially the skin, has millions of nerve receptors to help you regulate body temperature, protect muscles, and probably most importantly, act as the main player for one of our basic senses, touch. For people who have never experienced a massage, it is simply the act of touching and rubbing the body to try and provide a soothing sensation and assist in muscle tissue relaxation with benefits not only to the physical state but also the mental one.
Massage and the benefits generated from having sore or painful muscles massaged is known and documented from as early as 2700 BC in the Chinese and Egyptian cultures. Sanskrit records show that the practice of massage was provided long before the beginning of recorded history. Massage techniques and their benefits are documented in the earliest Ayurvedic texts as important methods to encourage the body’s natural process to self-healing.
The beginning of a science based therapy was developed by Per Henrik Ling, from Sweden. In 1813 he even established the Royal Central Gymnastic Institute in Sweden to be able to teach his methods. Nowadays the Swedish massage is probably the most commonly used technique throughout the world, also known as the ‘Classic Massage’.
When taking the first step to getting a massage, the Swedish technique is a very good starting point because it is a gentle form of massage which should provide a very enjoyable and beneficial experience. As one experiences the effects of massage and gains knowledge about the benefits of massage one may be interested in experimenting with other techniques. There are more than 80 different massage techniques practised around the world. Let’s explain a few of the most popular.
Swedish ‘classic’ Massage:
As mentioned before this is the most common technique utilised for relaxation massage. Every massage therapist will start with this technique and develop other forms to improve their abilities or specialise in a certain branch to focus on a certain niche within the industry of providing massage services.
Swedish massage mainly consists of 5 main movements:
Effleurage: A massage session is usually started with this movement because it involves long smooth strokes to get the client used to the sense of touch and, if applied, the spreading of a massage oil.
Petrissage: The act of kneading, rolling and lifting of the muscles and skin to increase circulation and initiate the relaxation process of the massage.
Friction: wringing or small circular motions to focus on certain areas to release skin and tight muscle fibres, also known as knots.
Tapotement: rapid striking on the massaged area to increase activation in the particular area.
Vibration: Rocking and shaking movements, usually performed towards the end of the massage.
Deep tissue Massage:
With this technique certain Swedish massage techniques can be used but utilising more pressure, especially when the massage therapist will encounter areas where the movement is not as smooth as it should be. When these areas are found the therapist will usually focus the treatment in that area to release muscle knots and release muscle stiffness. This technique can overlap with the sports massage technique when used for maintenance treatment of athletes or some chronic pain issues.
A more energising type of massage which mixes passive stretching, pressing massage, and even a bit of assisted yoga poses to aim at reducing not only the physical stiffness but help release stress and improve flexibility.
Shiatsu Massage:
Another oriental form of massage, shiatsu massage involves finding certain areas of stiffness or soreness on the body and using pressure with fingers, arms or even elbows in a particular rhythmic sequence with the aim to release the affected area. Usually done clothed and performed on a mat on the floor or a low massage table.
Reflexology is a particular type of massage where only the feet are massaged. It is believed that particular areas of the sole of our feet are connected to particular organs and areas of our body and that by applying the right pressure on the foot, this will result in a beneficial effect in that particular part of our body.
Aromatherapy:
In aromatherapy usually the techniques used are those of the Swedish massage but the main difference is that, by utilising different essential oils which will be absorbed by the body, will provide different effects from the massage. Certain oils will be used to invigorate, while others can be utilised towards relaxation or to help certain conditions like insomnia, certain digestive disorders or even depression.
Obviously this is not an exhaustive list of massage techniques for which one could publish a whole book or volumes about. My aim here was to provide some information about massage and possibilities of helping someone feel better through a massage.
Should anyone be interested in contacting me for more information or even to experience the benefits of massage, please do not hesitate in contacting me.
Until next time
Stay Strong, Stay focused and Stay Safe
Neville