If you have heard massage therapists talk about Swedish massage but are unsure just what that means, you are not alone. The term is so confusing that many massage practices have started using terms like therapeutic massage and relaxation massage to describe the technique and avoid confusion.
While the term Swedish massage may conjure up images of a tall, blonde Bjorn pounding on your back, the term actually comes from the nationality of the technique’s originator, Per Henrick Ling. It is characterized by the application of firm but gentle pressure on the more superficial muscles, which presses them against the deeper muscles and bone in order to induce relaxation to the tissues. Swedish is the most popular form of massage in the world.
Recently, I’ve had more and more clients asking for Swedish massage. They are stressed, and although they may have some general soreness or stiffness, the thing they want most is to relax and maybe to get a good night’s sleep. They like the variety of techniques in Swedish massage and the ways you can vary the pressure for different results.
There are five essential techniques in Swedish massage with a sixth added by some. The first is effleurage, which is a long, gliding stroke whose purpose is to improve lymphatic flow and circulation and to warm and relax the tissues. Next is petrissage, a kneading stroke that rolls and lifts the muscles and pulls them away from the bones. Third is friction, which employs small circular pressure to muscles to release knots and adhesions. After friction comes vibration, a techniques that shakes or vibrates the body to stimulate circulation. Tapotement includes percussion movements such as hacking, cupping, and tapping. The final (added) stroke includes bending and tractionwhereby the tissues are gently stretched and mobilized.
One reason that Swedish massage is so popular is that it benefits every major system of the body in some way. Primarily, it relieves physical, emotional and mental stress. It releases accumulated toxins from the tissues and flushes them out of the kidneys, lymphatics, and circulatory system. It increases oxygen flow throughout the body without adding a work load burden to the heart.
Swedish massage also soothes the nervous system and helps clients manage pain by releasing endorphins, the feel-good hormones, into the blood-stream. It can improve digestion and relieve edema or swelling.
The first modality we learned at The Whole You School of Massage was Swedish, and we spent several weeks on it before we worked on anyone other than each other. Clients generally undress fully and are massage in the supine and prone positions and sometimes in a side-lying position. Lubricant is used and sometimes essential oils or analgesics. The techniques used in Swedish can be applied to chair massage as well although the client is usually clothed if getting chair massage.
As mentioned above, another reason for the popularity of Swedish massage is that it can be individualized to the client’s specific needs by varying the strokes and the degree of pressure of the strokes from very light to deeper and heavier. Indeed, Swedish massage forms the foundation for several other massage modalities, including sports massage and deep tissue massage, and it is easily combined with other modalities to give the client a truly personalized experience.
Tapestry Life's Blog 