Swedish Massage Series: Intro

One thing that I find interesting is the popular reputation Swedish massage has for being a modality well suited for relaxation, but not much more. It’s interesting to me because I’ve always thought of it in therapeutic terms. Each Swedish stroke has a physiological effect which can have a very therapeutic benefit. How one applies and combines the various effects of these techniques during the course of a session determines the treatment’s overall effect on the body.

How does one determine whether a particular protocol is appropriate?

The answer is another question: Do the physiological effects of the techniques in the protocol complement the process occurring in the body?

Do we want to increase venous and lymphatic return? Break up fibrous adhesions? Normalize muscle tone, proprioception, and nociception? Have general goals of reducing pain and dysfunction or increasing range of motion?

The six classes of Swedish massage strokes (effleurage, pettrisage, friction, vibration, tapotement, and joint movements) have effects which are well suited to these goals. I’ll discuss each one in turn in a series of posts over the next couple months.

Lovelace Linares