THE SWEDISH MASSAGE
The Swedish Massage, which was conceived by Henri Peter
Ling, a Swedish physiologist at the University of Stockholm,
was publically introduced in 1812 as a means of improving blood
circulation, of relieving muscle stress and pain, of increasing
flexibility and of promoting total relaxation of the body and
mind. The Swedish Massage was imported into the United
States in the 1850s by Charles and George Taylor, two American
brothers practicing medicine in New York who opened the first
two Swedish clinics in the New World; the first in Boston,
Massachusetts and the second in Washington, D. C. where
Ulysses. S. Grant, a famed general during the American Civil
War and the 18th President of the United States (1869 – 1877),
allegedly frequented regularly for Swedish Massage
treatments.
Since its inception in the early part of the 19th century,
the Swedish Massage had become one of the most widely used
massage techniques in the Western world and it is the basis for
a number of other Western massage therapies which include the
Sports Massage, the Deep Tissue Massage and the
Aromatherapy. To attain its objectives, the Swedish
Massage utilizes seven basic therapeutic movements:
* Effleurage. These are long gliding and soothing
strokes which are aimed toward the heart while tracing the
natural curves of the body. Massage oils are often used
to facilitate smooth movement and to warm the muscles.
* Petrissage. These are movements which use strokes
that lift, roll or knead soft body tissues. This process
draws blood into the area and helps relax tense muscles and
fascia as well as the rest of the body.
* Pinpoint Pressure. These movements are directed
toward points that are knotted or hardened and painful to the
touch. Pressure is directed to these points in order to
break them down and release the muscle.
* Deep Friction. These are very small circular
movements which press slightly below the surface of the skin
and onto the muscle beneath it. These strokes relax
muscles which contracted and tensed due to overuse or as a
result of emotional stress at their deeper levels.
* Skin Rolling. This movement involves pinching a fold
of skin and moving it forward in a rolling motion. This
process lifts skin off its connective tissues to promote better
blood circulation for the improvement of skin tone.
* Tapotement. This movement requires rhythmical
tapping with cupped hands or with hands set in the karate-chop
position. This practice awakens the body into vitality
and the tingling sensation of energy and health.
* Finger Brushing. This movement is usually performed
at the closing of the Swedish Massage treatment session as
fingertips are lightly brushing against the surface of the skin
to relax the stimulated muscles while calming the nervous
system.
The most outstanding health benefits of the Swedish massage
are in:
* Relaxing of tired, tense or overused muscles.
* Improving blood circulation without overburdening the
heart.
* Increasing flexibility and widening the range of motion by
stretching the body’s soft tissues: muscles, tendons,
ligaments, skin, joints and connective tissues.
* Stimulating the nervous system while simultaneously relaxing
the nerve endings.
* Decreasing the recovery time of strained muscles by cleansing
the tissues of lactic acid and uric acid as well as all other
toxins and metabolic wastes.
* Bringing the skin to a healthier and more vibrant appearance
of wellness.
* Helping the client achieve a feeling of connectedness and
body awareness for maintaining a better posture and stance.
* Alleviating pain and any associated discomfort due to muscle
tension, fractures, sprains, sciatica and stiff joints.
* Reducing emotion disstress.
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