Generally Hands-On
These are typically the most suitable techniques to begin a massage.
What are Rocking or Light Effleurage?
This response triggered by massage prepares the body to either fight or flee from a perceived threat.
What is the Sympathetic Response?
This assessment technique is the foundation for evaluating the health of tissues, allowing therapists to feel for abnormalities, changes in tone, and tightness.
What is Palpation?
This long, gliding stroke is used in massage to spread lotion, relax the client, and promote the flow of lymph, blood, and superficial tissues.
What is Effleurage?
This massage technique involves compression, kneading, stretching, or squeezing to lift and manipulate the tissue, typically used to move fluids and break up superficial adhesions.
What is Petrissage?
This type of massage effect directly impacts tissue through physical manipulation.
What is a Mechanical Effect?
This calming response counteracts stress, promoting relaxation in the body.
What is the Parasympathetic Response?
The sensation of this response during a Tapotement technique can sometimes lead to a temporary increase in circulation and alertness.
What is Stimulation?
This technique is used to break up adhesions and realign scar tissue through compression and movement of superficial tissue over deeper underlying tissue.
What is Friction?
These are physical changes that occur in tissue as a result of massage techniques, such as fluid movement, stretching of fibers, and breaking up adhesions.
What are Mechanical Effects?
This mechanical effect temporarily causes the skin to appear lighter due to a lack of blood flow.
What is Ischemia?
This parasympathetic effect increases blood flow to digestive organs and promotes digestion.
What is Peristalsis?
This technique is often used for breaking up adhesions and to mobilize tissues, especially in the context of lung congestion.
What is Percussion / Tapotement?
This type of friction technique involves movement along a muscle fibers to address tissue adhesions and improve mobility.
What is Linear Friction?
These are swollen, twisted veins that are often affected by deep pressure or massage techniques, where deep petrissage could worsen the condition.
What are Varicose Veins?
This hormone decreases as a result of massage, helping to reduce stress.
What is Cortisol?
This neurotransmitter, often associated with the relaxation response, increases during parasympathetic activation through massage.
What is Acetylcholine?
This variant of Tapotement involves quick, rhythmic strikes using the edge of the hand.
What is Hacking?
This friction technique moves perpendicular to the direction of muscle fibers, often used to break up scar tissue and improve tissue alignment.
What is Cross-Fiber Friction?
These are specific conditions or factors that make a treatment or technique inadvisable, such as high fever or deep vein thrombosis, due to the potential for harm.
What are Contraindications?
This is the placement of hands with the specific intent of assessing tissue condition.
What is Palpation?
This technique, involving alternating pressure, can stimulate the vagus nerve, promoting calmness and lowering blood pressure.
What is Tapotement?
This technique uses the hands in a curved position to create a vacuum effect on the skin, often aimed at improving circulation and relieving muscle tension.
What is Cupping?
This technique involves lifting superficial tissue away from underlying structures and rolling it between the fingers to improve mobility and circulation.
What is Skin-Rolling?
This specific tissue type can receive deep petrissage after healing, unlike its newly formed counterpart, which could be damaged further.
What is Old Scar Tissue?