Massage therapy (including myotherapy) is the practice of kneading or manipulating a person's

muscles to improve their wellbeing or health. It is a form of manual therapy that includes holding,
moving, and applying pressure to the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fascia. When massage is applied,
the body releases endorphins (chemicals that produce feelings of wellbeing) and levels of stress
hormones such as adrenalin, cortisol and norepinephrine are reduced. Studies show that high levels of
these stress hormones can impair the immune system.

Effleurage is a light friction technique commonly used to begin a massage treatment. Effleurage is
made up of long, stroking movements which are performed using a flat hand or fingers. Effleurage is
used to increase the flow of the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is part of the circulatory system
that carries fluid directionally to the heart. The application of strokes is applied from the bottom of the
limb upwards towards the lymphatic nodes. Lymphatic nodes are distributed widely throughout the
body and linked by lymphatic vessels. When the strokes are applied towards the lymphatic nodes, the
nodes will help drain any waste products via the lymphatic system. Effleurage stimulates the lymphatic
system and improves its functioning. The lymphatic system helps transport nutrients, remove toxins and
blockages in the body.

Effleurage is used to increase blood circulation and lymphatic flow in the body. When the effleurage
technique is performed, friction causes the temperature to increase and vasodilation and capillarization
to occur. Vasodilation is the widening of blood vessels which results from the relaxation of the muscle
cells. Capillarization is the development of blood cells causing the blood circulation to increase.

BENEFITS:

What is a massage technique Effleurage used for?

 Effleurage is a massage technique used to:

 Increase blood circulation
 Stimulate lymphatic drainage
 Promote relaxation

Petrissage massage technique can include stretching, kneading, and squeezing soft tissues and
underlying muscles. Petrissage lifts tissues away from structures to relieve tension and stretches and
loosens muscles fibers. Petrissage is also stimulating the skin including vascular and lymphatic
responses. The lymphatic response allows the drainage of toxins and eliminates waste products in the
body. The petrissage technique in which is applied with pressure helps break down adhesions.
Adhesions are areas of thick connective tissue which develop after a muscular injury or surgery.
Adhesions can pull on other areas, compress nerves and restrict movement causing pain.

BENEFITS:

Petrissage is an effective massage technique used to:

  Increase blood circulation
 Stretch and loosen muscle fibers
 Increase range of movement

Tapotement, also called percussion is a very stimulating style of massage stroke. It involves
rhythmic striking of the clients flesh with alternate hands from about an inch away. Here I outline how a
masseur should do these stokes and some benefits you get from them. Hacking, Cupping, Beating and
pummeling are all tapotement strokes. This stroke style should be used on fleshy, muscular areas and
not on bone. These are the most stimulating of all types of strokes used in Swedish massage. If you are
looking to be invigorated with a treatment a lot of tapotement will be used. Generally, percussion
strokes are used at the end of a massage on a specific area of the body to “wake the body up”.

Types of Tapotement and Benefits

 Hacking

Benefits of hacking – Rosser M (1996) says it stimulates soft tissues, improves circulation, tones muscles
and skin, softens adipose (fatty) tissue and cellulite. Hacking is used regularly before sports events to
invigorate muscle.

 Cupping

Benefits of cupping – as with hacking. Also, the suction created when the hand is lifted will stimulate
skin and muscle causing erythema (skin reddening).

 Beating

Benefits of beating – as with hacking. Also, may help tone muscles in sports massage.

 pummeling (or pounding)

Benefits of pummeling – as with hacking. Also, may help tone muscles in sports massage.

TRIVIA - Named in French

The name of these strokes, tapotement, is derived from the French language. According to Oxford
dictionaries, its origin is the word topoter, which means to tap. Johann Georg Mezger, 1 of the 2
therapists accredited with creating Swedish massage, named many of the strokes in French.

References:

Oxford Dictionaries (No Date) Definition of tapotement in English: [Online] Available at

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/tapotement (Accessed 20 August 2018)
Tucker, L. (2016) An Introductory Guide to Massage, London, EMS Publishing

Rosser, M. (1996) Body Massage Therapy Basics, London, Hodder & Stoughton