Swedish Massage

The Swedish technique is based on specific scientific movements of hands on the body to achieve total effectiveness. Swedish massage utilizes about four different hand movements upon the body.

• The first is effleurage, a firm, smooth "upward" (meaning up the body toward the heart) strike from the hands or feet toward the center of the body.

• Next is petrissage, a grasping, kneading movement on the muscles, which reaches deeper into the muscles than the first movement. Firm, gentle, circular motions are also used while picking up - literally - the muscles, allowing pressure and friction to relax tense points and break up muscular adhesions or knots.

• Tapotement is a hacking, chopping motion, done firmly, but not hard, with a cupped hand, or sometimes with the outer sides of the hands. This motion, done quickly up and down a muscle, like sticks on a xylophone, has the effect of relaxing the person receiving it while driving out tenseness.

• Vibration is just what the name implies. This very gentle movement is done by vibrating the fingertips or hands, while pressing gently on the body. It’s generally used on extrasensitive areas like the facial muscles, which shouldn’t be worked too strongly.

General Swedish Massage improves blood and lymphatic circulation which are vitally important in keeping the internal organs vigorous. This increased circulation is helpful in hastening convalescent periods and improving conditions after surgery. It also improves the condition of the heart and maintains its health.

Swedish Massage at regular intervals helps maintain the health of the central nervous system and its many connections. In neurological cases in which there is an interruption of impulses from the central nervous system, artificial activation of muscles can, in many cases, be affected by Massage to delay atrophy in the inactive skeletal muscle. Also, muscle spasms can be relaxed by inhibiting motor impulses to the muscles from the central nervous system.

Whenever the human body is incapable of physical exercise, Massage becomes an indispensable substitute. By intermittent contractions and relaxations, the skeletal muscles act as a subsidiary pump aiding the heart’s own movement of blood in the superficial arteries. Swedish Massage promotes superficial and deep venous return; increases capillary blood flow and eases strain on the heart.

I have been using Swedish Massage on Scott Manginaro for almost one year and have experienced some verbal positive reactions which have been very rewarding to me.

Sharon M. McCarthy
Lic. Masseuse

CRA Note (1998): Mrs. McCarthy has been providing massage therapy to Scott since 1983.

This article was originally published in our April-May 1984 Newsletter

Copyright © 1984-1999, 2000, * Sharon M. McCarthy