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You are here: Home / Massage Theory / Swedish Massage Strokes

Swedish Massage Strokes

November 14, 2015 By Julie Onofrio

Stroke
Purpose/Uses
Mechanical effect Reflexive effect Contraindications
LIGHT EFFLEURAGE

Gliding, Fanning, Tree branching,
shingling etc.

  • Transitioning
  • Spreading oil
  • Evaluating tissue
  •  Relaxes muscles (parasympathetic
    nervous system)
  • Relieves pain (Gate control theory,
    endorphins)
  •  Increases arterial and
    capillary circulation
  •  Increases vasodilation
    (slowing heart rate and blood pressure)
  •  Hyperesthesia
  •  Marked or pitted edema
  •  Gross swelling
  • Open wounds
  • distal to inflammation or infection
DEEP EFFLEURAGE

Knuckling,

  •  Increases venous and lymphatic
    flow removing wastes, reducing edema
  •  Improves nutritional status
    of tissues
  •  Increases arterial and
    capillary circulation, bringing nutrients
  •  Warms superficial tissue
  •  Desquamation of dead skin
Same as above

    •  Deeper muscle relaxation
    •  Capillary dilation longer
      lasting

 

 

  •  Same as light effleurage
  •  Very hairy skin
  •  New scar tissue
  •  Venous stasis
PETRISSAGE

Picking up, wringing, kneading,
open C/closed C, alternating thumb, squeezing, lifting, skin rolling (lifting
tissue away from underlying structures)

    • Used after effleurage
    •  Relieves congestion
    •  Reduces swelling
    •  Digestive disorders 
    •  Muscle shortening 
    •  Spastic paralysis
    •  Fatigue

 

 

  •  Stretches muscle fibers
    and stimulates muscle tone, broadens fibers
  •  Breaks up adhesions
  •  Increased circulation
    and waste elimination
  •  Moves interstitial fluid
  •  Slow-relaxes nervous system
  •  Fast-stimulates NS
  •  Increases glandular activity
    of skin
  •  Increases peristalsis
    when done over abdomen
  •  Affects proprioception
  •  Atrophied muscles
  •  Flaccid paralysis
  •  Acute inflammation
DIRECT PRESSURE FRICTION

Compression

  • Use after tissues have been
    warmed up
  •  Hypertonic muscles
  •  Treatment massage
  •  Deep tissue work
  •  Compresses and spreads
    tissue
  •  Temporary ischemia
  •  Mobilizes muscle/tendon
    junction
    •  Reduces pain and spasm
    •  Hyperemia
    •  Increases peristalsis
      when done over abdomen

 

 

For all frictions:

  •  Acute inflammations
  •  Neuritis
  •  Recent injuries
  •  Osteo and rheumatoid arthritis-especially
    acute stages
  •  Muscles lacking innervation(paralysis)
  •  Debilitating neuromuscular
    dysfunction such as MS, ALS, MD.
LINEAR OR CIRCULAR FRICTION same as above
  •  Myofascial releasing-separating
    adhered fascial planes
  •  Broadens and stretches
    muscle fibers
  •  Increases muscle 
  •  Decreases tension through
    stimulating Golgi tendon reflex
  • Increases circulation
  • Creates hyperemia
Cross fiber friction
  •  Use only after a thorough
    warming of involved tissue
  • Apply at right angles to scar/fibrotic
    tissue
  •  Superficial tissue must
    move over underlying structure
  •  Apply frequently enough
    to have an impact
    •  Breaks up adhesions
    •  Assists in realigning
      scar tissue

 

 

  •  Relaxes muscles by stimulating
    Golgi tendon reflex
Heat rub friction
  •  Heats skin
  •  Warms tissue
  •  Vasodilatation
  •  Relaxes muscles
TAPOTEMENT

Tapping, Pincement, Slapping
Hacking, Cupping, Beating, Pounding

  •  Stimulation of tired muscles
  •  Relaxation of hypertonic
    muscles
 Loosens mucus in thoracic
cavity
  •  Stimulates nervous system,
    muscles, vessels
  •  Enhances muscle tone via
    contract-relax response
  •  Increases circulation
  •  Stimulates organs through
    low back
  •  Increases gaseous exchange
  •  Stimulates skin and glandular
    activity
  •  Muscles is spasm or cramping
  •  Spastic paralysis
  •  Atrophied muscles
  •  Flaccid paralysis
  •  Insomnia, neurasthenia
    or complete exhaustion
  •  Neuritis or painful conditions
  •  Over bony area
  •  No heavy tapotement over
    the kidneys
  •  No heavy tapotement over
    low back in pregnancy or menstruation
FINE VIBRATION

Static or moving

Relaxation
  •  sedates nervous system
  •  reduces pain(gate theory)
  •  relaxes muscle 
same as tapotement
COARSE VIBRATION

Static or moving

loosens ligaments  Penetrating stimulation
JOSTLING/SHAKING
  •  Increases synovial activity
  •  Increases circulation
  •  Stimulates organs
  •  Reduces muscle guarding
  •  Rejuvenating  tired
    muscles
same as tapotement
SWEDISH GYMNASTICS

Active free, active assisted,
passive, resistive

  • Stretches muscles and ligaments
  •  Increases circulation
    and nutrition
  •  Increases waste elimination
  •  Loosens adhesions
  •  Increases ROM and flexibility
  •  Stimulates NS
  •  Increases blood pressure
    and temperature
    •  Torn ligament, tendon
      or muscle
    •  Unhealed fracture
    •  Post surgery
    •  Heart conditions 

( active and resistive)

    •  Acute injuries

 

Filed Under: Massage Theory

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