Massage - Applying Massage Techniques

Massage is about touch, and touch is communication. Thought and feelings can be communicated through our hands. How we touch can reflex our feelings. The quality of our touch can transform a massage into a relaxing an healing experience. That is why we should know how to apply each massage techniques at different area of patient’s body.

The basic types of touch, which are used regularly are effleurage, petrissage and friction. Effleurage is an oiling stroke, good for getting to know your patient’s body. Petrissage uses a pumping, kneading motion, which is wonderful for releasing tension. Friction presses into specific problems, and, best used for small areas, gives a feeling of deep release.

Below you can find some helpful tips how to apply different techniques of massage on a certain area of body. These tips are only for manual techniques of massage using hands and fingers.

Effleurage
This is the first stroke of any massage, and is used to spread the oil, as well as to make contact and explore you patient’s body. Starting with your hands flat, fingers relaxed, glide lightly down the body, feeling for knots or tension. Allow your fingers to spread as you sweep round to return. Gradually trailing off with the fingertips. Generally, you should increase the pressure as you stroke towards the heart. This stroke relaxes, affecting the nerves beneath the skin, and helps return the blood flow to the heart.

Petrissage
A deeper stoke, good for fleshy areas. Kneading is the most useful example. Grasp the flesh, pushing your thumb in and away from you. Use your fingers to roll the flesh back towards you. Like kneading dough, move your hands alternately, with a squeezing, rolling, lifting action. Kneading frees the muscle fibers, increasing circulation.

Friction
Here, the thumbs are used to apply specific pressure to joints, deep tissue and muscle over bone. Press down using the pad of your thumb, circling slightly on the spot for penetration. Friction brings release and stimulates circulation.

Fingertips
The surface of skin contains billions of nerve endings stimulated by the lightest touch. Using featherlight strokes you can increase its sensitivity. Using the pads of your fingers, lightly trail down your patient’s skin. ‘Walk’ your fingers down his back for light sensations. When stroking with your fingers, keep your wrists relaxed and flexible and break any contact gently. Brush stroke will make the transition softly from one area of the body to another.

Flat of hand
The flat of the hand can be used for introductory strokes and to ‘iron out’ across the back, moving outwards from beside the spine. The movement can also be used where stronger pressure is needed, for example along the thigh. The flat of the hand used softly gives a warm sense of contact. You can use it to circle, or put one hand on top of the other, increasing the pressure in the center. For a slight variation, you can also tilt your hand, increasing the pressure either at the edge or the forefinger joint. This is useful when working round the shoulder blade.

massage Rolling thumbs
As well as using the pads of the thumbs to press, the thumbs can also be used in a rolling movement. Tilting your thumbs very slightly, use the whole length of your thumb to push the muscle away from you. In a rolling movement, one thumb continues whew the other stopped. Keep the rolls reasonably short, and by using your thumbs alternately, you create a feeling of one continuous flow. Rolling can be used to work down alongside the spine, on the soles of the feet, palms, or gently down the nose. The fingers can be curled or spread, but press only with the thumbs.

Knuckles
Curl your fingers into a fist, with your thumb tucked in or protruding and bend your wrist over so your knuckles are exposed. Now press down into the flesh, using a circling, twisting motion, being attentive to your partner’s pressure needs. The knuckles are only used for fleshy, resistant areas, particularly the back, with care, the soles of the feet. By rippling your fingers as you ‘knuckle’, an intriguing sensation is produced, altering the intensity of the pressure. Keep your wrist straight while knuckling, as this gives strength to the movement.

Heel massage
Bend your wrist back, lift your palm and fingers slightly and push away from you, along the muscle, with the heel. This gives the stroke added strength, penetrates the muscle deeply, and gives a satisfying sensation. The heel can be used where added strength is needed, such as the thigh muscles. It is used for deep circling, especially over firm, fleshy areas, like the thigh. It can be used to probe and press into muscular areas, while not losing any sensitivity from your touch. Keep your elbow slightly bent to create an angle between your shoulder, elbow and wrist.

Tiger’s mouth
So called to describe the shape of the hands when the thumb and fore finger are spread, this position, also known as a ‘V’, is used to squeeze along muscles after effleurage. Place your thumb and forefinger on either side, adjusting the angle to comfortably fit around the muscles. Push upwards, away from you, adjusting the angle of your hand to accommodate the muscles’ increased bulk. Push as far as you can with a firm pressure, but not too hard, until you reach along the muscles’ length. You may prefer to use both hands, one behind the other, to give the movement extra strength.

Massage - Applying Massage Techniques

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