Massage Therapy

Tapotement (Tapping) Technique

Tapotement is a French word which means ‘Tapping’. It includes movements such as hand chopping, cupping and tapping. “Tapotement is a specific technique used in Swedish massage. It is a rhythmic percussion, most frequently administered with the edge of the hand, a cupped hand or the tips of the fingers.” (Source: Wikipedia)

Benefits of the Tapping (Tapotement) Technique:

• Stimulating nerve endings
• Aids in decongestion
• Increase blood flow
• Toning atrophied muscles
• Pain relief

Effleurage Technique (to skim)

Effleurage is a technique using a repeated circular stroking movement made with the palm of the hand. Physio.co.uk defines it as “a massage technique in which long, light strokes are used over areas of the body. The most common areas of the body for effleurage are the arm, back, thigh and calf.

Benefits of the Effleurage Technique:

• It can stimulate lymphatic drainage
• Stretches the tissues
• Help detect the state of the soft tissue
• It warms, soothes and relaxes the body and mind
• Slow effleurage calms the nervous system
• Fast effleurage stimulates the nervous system
• Reduces tension and muscle tightness
• Relieves tired and achy muscles

Petrissage Technique (to knead)

Petrissage is a technique that involves kneading the soft tissue. The word petrissage comes from the French and refers to ‘kneading’. The technique may include stretching, squeezing, kneading soft tissue.

Wikipedia defines petrissage as: “… massage movements with applied pressure which are deep and compress the underlying muscles. Kneading, wringing, skin rolling and pick-up-and-squeeze are the petrissage movements. They are all performed with the padded palmar surface of the hand, the surface of the finger and also the thumbs.”

Benefits of the Petrissage Technique:

• Soft tissue elasticity
• Muscle waste product removal
• Stimulates the skin
• Promotes vascular response
• Promotes lymphatic response
• Increases portability between tissue interfaces

Friction Technique

According to physio.co.uk “Frictions are a type of massage which applies force across soft tissue structures. Frictions are an effective technique to break up adhesions, help break down scar tissue and realign tissue fibres.”

Physio-pedia defines it as: “… a massage technique used to increase circulation and release areas that are tight; particularly around joints and where there are adhesions within the muscles or tendons. Friction is defined as “an accurately delivered penetrating pressure applied through fingertips.” 

Benefits of the Friction Technique:

• Recover from muscle strains
• Break down adhesions
• Break down scar tissue
• Restore flexibility
• Speed up recovery
• Realign new scar tissue
• Stimulates blood flow
• Heal ligament lesions