Massage involves acting on and manipulating the body with pressure – structured, unstructured, stationary, or moving – tension, motion, or vibration, done manually or with mechanical aids. Target tissues may include muscles, tendons, ligaments, skin, joints, or other connective tissue, as well as lymphatic vessels, or organs of the gastrointestinal system. Massage can be applied with the hands, fingers, elbows, knees, forearm, and feet. There are over eighty different recognized massage modalities. The most cited reasons for introducing massage as therapy have been client demand and perceived clinical effectiveness.
Massage involves the client being treated while lying on a massage table, sitting in a massage chair, or lying on a mat on the floor. The massage subject may be draped with towels or sheets.
Massage Methods
Acupressure Massage
Acupressure massage which is a blend of "acupuncture" and "pressure" is a traditional Chinese medicine technique derived from acupuncture. In acupressure, physical pressure is applied to acupuncture points by the hand, or elbow, or with various other devices.
Anma Massage
Anma massage is a traditional Japanese massage method involving kneading, and deep tissue massage.
Ayurvedic Massage
Ayurveda massage is a natural health care system originating in India that uses massage, yoga, meditation and herbal remedies. Ayurvedic massage - also known as Abhyanga - is usually performed by 1 or 2 therapists using heated herbal oils based on the ayurvedic system of humors.
Balinese Massage
Balinese massage techniques are sofe/gentle and aim to make the patient relaxed and calm. The techniques include kneading, stroking, skin folding, and other techniques. The massage therapist applies aromatheraphy oil throughout the massage. A patient's blood, oxygen and energy flow is said to increase as a result of the treatment.[citation needed] Balinese hot stones are an option.
Barefoot Deep Tissue Massage
Barefoot Deep Tissue massage also known as Barefoot Compressive Deep Tissue, or Barefoot Sports Massage, is a blend of Eastern barefoot techniques, such as Barefoot Shiatsu Massage, coupled with Western manual medicine, encompassing Deep Tissue, Myofascial Release, Trigger Point Therapy, transverse friction, compression, tension, shear, PNF, stretching, as well as parasympathetic response, on clothed clients using no oil. Dara Torres, 41-year old Olympian, received barefoot compression massage on a daily basis in her training program.
This modality typically uses the heel, sesamoid, arch and/or whole plantar surface of foot, and offers large compression, tension and shear forces with less pressure than elbow or thumb, and is ideal for large muscles, such as in thigh, or for long-duration upper trapezius compressions. The unclothed cousins of this modality are Keralite, Yumeiho, Barefoot Lomi Lomi, Fijian Barefoot, Chavutti Thirummal.
Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy, which is a form of barefoot effleurage, combines western science and contemporary American ingenuity, for therapists who specialize in deep tissue work using Swedish techniques performed by the massage therapists feet.
Bowen Therapy Massage
Bowen technique involves a rolling movement over fascia, muscles, ligaments, tendons and joints. It is said not to involve deep or prolonged contact with muscle tissues as in most kinds of massage, but claims to relieve muscle tensions and strains and to restore normal lymphatic flow. It is based on practices developed by Australian Tom Bowen.
Breema Massage
Breema massage bodywork is performed on the floor with the recipient fully clothed. It is based of rhythmical and gentle stretches.
Champissage
Champissage massage is an Indian head massage technique focusing on the head, neck and face that is believed to balance the chakras.
Deep Tissue Massage
Deep Tissue massage is designed to relieve severe tension in the muscle and the connective tissue or fascia. This type of massage focuses on the muscles located below the surface of the top muscles. Deep tissue massage is often recommended for individuals who experience consistent pain, are involved in heavy physical activity, such as athletes, and patients who have sustained physical injury. It is also not uncommon for recipients of Deep Tissue Massage to have their pain replaced with a new muscle ache for a couple of days. Deep tissue work varies greatly. What one calls deep tissue massage another will call light. When receiving deep tissue work it is important to communicate what you are feeling.
Esalen Massage
Esalen massage therapy works with gentle rocking of the body, passive joint exercises and deep structural work on the muscles and joints, together with a balancing of the body.
Lomi Lomi Massage
Lomilomi massage is the traditional massage technique of Hawaii. As an indigenous practice, it varies by island and by family. The word lomilomi also is used for massage in Samoa and East Futuna. In Samoa, it is also known as lolomi and milimili. In East Futuna, it is also called milimili, fakasolosolo, amoamo, lusilusi, kinikini, fai’ua. The M?ori call it roromi and mirimiri. In Tonga massage is fotofota, tolotolo, and amoamo. In Tahiti it is rumirumi. On Nanumea in Tuvalu, massage is known as popo, pressure application is kukumi, and heat application is tutu. Massage has also been documented in Tikopia in the Solomon Islands, in Rarotonga and in Pukapuka in Western Samoa.
Medical Massage
Massage used in the medical field includes decongestive therapy used for lymphedema. Light massage is also used in pain management and palliative care. Carotid sinus massage is used to diagnose carotid sinus syncope. It, like the valsalva maneuver, is a therapy for SVT. However, it is less effective than management of SVT with medications.
Myofascial Release Massage
Myofascial release massage refers to the manual massage technique for stretching the fascia and releasing bonds between fascia, integument and muscles to eliminate pain and increase range of motion. Myofascial release often involves applying compression or tension in many directions or by skin rolling.
Postural Integration Massage
Postural Integration Massage is a process-oriented bodywork combining deep tissue massage with breathwork, body movement and awareness as well as emotional expression.
Reflexology Massage
Reflexology massage is based on the principle that there are reflexes in the hands and feet that relate to every organ, gland, and system of the body.
Russian Massage
Russian massage has 3 phases. The 1st phase is gentle, slow and mild. The 2nd phase is harder, deeper and faster. The 3rd phase is similar to the first phase which is slower and gentler.
Shiatsu Massage
Shiatsu massage - "shi" meaning finger and "atsu" meaning pressure - is an eastern/oriental therapy that uses pressure applied with thumbs, fingers and palms to the energy meridians as acupressure and incorporates stretching. It uses techniques like rolling, brushing, vibrating, grasping and with the feet on the persons back, legs and feet. A special set up is necessary for the "foot" shiatsu.
Hot Stone Massage
A hot stone massage uses water-heated stones to apply pressure and heat to the body. Stones coated in oil can also be used by the therapist delivering various massaging strokes. The hot stones used are commonly river stones which over time, have become extremely polished and smooth. As the stones are placed along the recipient's back, they help to retain heat which then deeply penetrates into the muscles, releasing tension.
Structural Integration Massage
Structural Integration massage attempts to unwind the strain patterns residing in a person's myofascial system to restore it to its natural balance, alignment, length, and ease. This is accomplished by deep,/slow/fascial and myofascial manipulation - coupled with movement reeducation. Various types of Structural Integration massage are Kinesis Myofascial Integration and rolfing.
Swedish Massage
Swedish massage uses 5 types of long and flowing strokes to massage. Swedish massage has shown to be helpful in reducing pain, joint stiffness, and improving function in patients. It has also been shown to be helpful in individuals with poor circulation. The title Swedish massage is not typically known inside the country of Sweden - where it is called classic massage.
Thai Massage
Thai massage means "ancient/traditional massage". Thai massage originated in India and is based on ayurveda and yoga principals. The technique combines massage with yoga-like positions during the massage. The northern method focuses on stretching while the southern style focuses on acupressure.
Traditional Chinese Massage
Chinese massage - 2 kinds of traditional Chinese massage exist - tui na (??) which emphasizes pushing, stretching and kneading the muscle and Zhi Ya (??) which emphasizes pinching and pressing at certain acupressure points. Each are principles from Traditional Chinese Medicine. In the Western countries Tui Na is seen as massage, but it is not. Massage of Chinese Medicine is known as Anmo(???- which is the foundation of Japananes Anma.
Tui Na is Chinese Medicine's Physio-Therapy. Used for medical purposes instead of relaxation, Tui Na works to correct the patient's problems from musculoskeletal conditions, to diseases, cancers and minor and major headaches.
Within Tui Na, Traditional Chinese Medicine principles are used from Meridian Applications to Herbal Formulas, Qigong Therapy and heated herbal application (Moxa). Techniques such as vibration and friction are also used.
Trager Approach Massage
The Trager approach combines movement, massage and education.
Content used on this page has been derived from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massage per the guidelines of that site. The operators of this website take no responsibility as to the accuracy of this information or for its usage. This work is released under CC-BY-SA: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
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