Swedish Massage Therapy
Classic Massage Therapy Techniques
Swedish massage therapy or classic massage therapy is the most common form of massage in the West. It is what most people think of when they think of massage therapy. The techniques used this form of massage are the basis for most spa massages. Relaxation massages typically use the Swedish massage style.
The origins of Swedish massage are sketchy. You can learn more about its creation in my article The History of Massage Therapy.
Swedish massage is characterized by four basic strokes.
- Effleurage
- Petrissage
- Tapotement
- Vibration
Strokes are to flow in the direction that blood circulates towards the heart. They start out superficially giving the tissue a chance to warm up. Once the tissue is warm the therapist starts doing deeper more intense work.
I was trained in this method of massage as are most therapist trained in the US. It is a good jumping off point for learning other modalities. Non-Swedish strokes can easily be incorporated into a Swedish massage.
Swedish massage has many of the same benefits as listed in my article The Benefits of Massage Therapy.
It helps with relaxation, circulation and skin and muscle health. The main goal is to flush toxins out of the system while increasing the nourishment received by muscle cells.
Its popularity in the Western world is proof of its effectiveness.
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