Massage Therapy Techniques
The Swedish foundation
Swedish massage provides the vocabulary from which most other styles are described. Effleurage is gliding, used to begin and end a session, to apply lubricant, and to move fluid toward the heart. Petrissage is kneading and lifting of soft tissue. Friction is small, focused, circular or cross-fiber work that generates heat and addresses adhesions. Tapotement (percussion) is rhythmic striking - cupping, hacking, tapping - and is stimulating. Vibration is a fine trembling or shaking, either mechanical or hand-held.
Other approaches
Deep tissue work uses slower, sustained pressure. Myofascial release uses low-load, long-duration stretch. Trigger point work applies ischemic compression to hyperirritable spots. Neuromuscular therapy and strain-counterstrain target specific dysfunctional patterns. Muscle energy technique uses client contraction against resistance. Manual lymphatic drainage uses very light, directional strokes toward lymph nodes. Hydrotherapy adds heat or cold; heat relaxes and dilates vessels, cold constricts and numbs. Eastern and energetic styles include Shiatsu, Thai, and reflexology.
Traps
Students confuse friction with petrissage and forget that tapotement is contraindicated over bony prominences, the kidneys, and inflamed tissue. Deep work is not automatically better - heavy pressure over the anterior neck, varicosities, or acute injury is a mistake, not skill.
Rule of thumb
Match the stroke to the goal: gliding to warm and transition, kneading for muscle tone, friction for chronic adhesions, percussion to stimulate, vibration to calm or sedate. Sequence light to deep to light.