Swedish Massage
Swedish Massage
Swedish Massage is one of the most popular services that Janice Light Touch Therapy provides to our customers here in the Dallas Fort Worth Texas area. This type of massage is proven effective in relaxing muscles, relieving pains and tensions and improving blood circulation.
What is Swedish Massage?
Swedish Massage is arguably the most popular type of massage. Some people refer to it as classic, traditional, or relaxation massage. It involves applying gentle to vigorous, long gliding strokes following the blood’s direction back to the heart. It may also involve friction, percussion, kneading, tapping, shaking, and vibration motions to apply pressure between the muscles and bones.
The main goal of Swedish Massage is to boost relaxation. In addition, it increases oxygen level in the body, decrease muscle toxins, and improve flexibility and circulation while easing pain and tension.
Swedish Massage Techniques
• Effleurage: This is characterized by long gliding strokes using the thumbs, fingertips, and palms. The pressure applied depends on the patient and the therapist.
• Pertissage: This is a kneading movement using the hand and/or fingertips to compress and release muscle tissue.
• Vibration: These are oscillatory movements using the hand or a machine. This involves rapid movements that soothes and relaxes muscles.
• Percussion: This is characterized by brisk hacking and tapping of the muscles using the hand and/or fingers.
• Friction: Usually rapid, strong and circular in motion, pressure is applied using hands and/or fingertips to release muscle knots.
• Passive and active movements: This technique involves stretching and bending of muscles.
• Tapotement: This involves the use of hands, palms, or fingers to tap the muscles releasing cramps and tensions.
How is Swedish Massage Performed?
Before the session, the therapist asks a few questions about injuries or conditions that should be considered. The patients may also inform the therapist about the specific locations where pain or tension occurs. They may likewise inform the therapist of their preference for either firm or light pressure.
During the massage, the patient lies nude underneath a sheet or towel, laying face down and keeping the spine neutral. Using the technique called draping, only specific areas the therapist is working on are uncovered.
Using massage oil, the therapist performs massage strokes including effleurage, pertissage, vibration, percussion, friction, tapotement, and passive and active movement techniques.
The massage often starts with the back, then the back of each leg, the front of each leg, the arms, and often ends with the neck and shoulder. This sequence, though, is not strictly followed so some therapist may perform it differently.
Benefits of Swedish Massage
Swedish Massage has been observed to be effective in many respects. The following are some benefits of this therapy.
• Relaxes muscles
• Relieves pains and tensions
• Improves circulation
• Increase oxygen levels
• Helps in draining metabolic waste
• Gets rid of and rejuvenate scar tissues
• Reduces stress-related hormones
• Eliminates mental stress
• Boosts the immune system
• Enhances flexibility