Swedish: Massage's Foundation

In the United States, Swedish massage is by far the most popular form of bodywork. Most people are thinking of Swedish massage when they think of massage. In my opinion, this makes "Swedish massage" a redundant phrase. It is the classic and most basic of all massage modalities. In fact, in Europe, it is called "classic massage", and is hardly referred to as Swedish. As such, Swedish massage is also the foundation of most other forms of massage.

Petrissage

A Brief History

Per Henrik Ling (1776-1837) is often credited as the father of Swedish massage. This is actually false. Ling created a movement therapy, essentially calisthenics and resembling physical therapy rather than massage therapy. Ling's methods became known as the Swedish Movement System. Descriptions of the methods and movements were interpreted later by readers as being similar to the techniques of what we call Swedish massage. Those techniques were actually developed and named by Dr. John Georg Mezger (1838-1909), a Dutch physician.

Early researchers on the subject noticed similarites between descriptions of Ling's techniques and the terms used by Mezger. These terms were applied to Ling's methods. Because he practiced long before Mezger he received the credit for developing and naming the techniques. Somehow the Swedish Movement System became know as the Swedish Massage System. (It's worth noting here that Swedish massage was actually developed by a Dutchman who named his techniques in French.)

Not only did Mezger develop and name the basic techniques of  "classic" massage, he also brought massage into the scientific commnunity. It makes sense that Ling wouldn't have, since he was developing something else. So Mezger is truly the father of Swedish massage.

In the 1850s, Swedish massage was brought to the United States by New York physicians Charles and George Taylor. During the 1930s and 1940s massage's influence decreased as a result of medical advancements of the time, while in the 1970s massage's influence grew once again with a notable rise among athletes. Massage was used up until the 1960s and 1970s by nurses to help ease patients’ pain and help them sleep.

The Techniques

There are five basic techniques to Swedish massage.

1. Effleurage: Long strokes with an open palm.
2. Petrissage: Kneading and lifting, almost like working dough.
3. Friction: Firm, deep, often circular rubbing.
4. Tapotement: Brisk tapping or other percussive movement.
5. Vibration: Rapid shaking of specific muscles.

Effleurage

The Purpose

Swedish massage is intended to increase oxygen in the blood and flush metabolic wastes, like lactic acid, from the body. This is done by applying pressure to surface muscles with the above techniques, always moving toward the heart. The result is improved circulation, reduced stress, reduced pain, increased flexibility, a relaxed state and greater overall health and wellness. Swedish massage also reduces recovery time from muscular strain and stimulates as well as soothes the nerves.

The nervous system is actually divided into a couple of different systems. One such division is sympathetic versus parasympathetic. The sympathetic nervous system is our body's "flight-or-fight" response, with decreased blood flow to non-essential systems such as digestion, increased heart rate, and increases in hormones like adrenaline and noradrenaline. The parasympathetic nervous system is the rest and rejuvenation function. It regulates blood evenly throughout the body and thus allows for proper function and healing. The sympathetic response is meant to be temporary. In today's busy way of living, however, many live in a state of sympathetic dominance, which leads to exhaustion. Swedish massage restores the body to a parasympathetic state, the way you are supposed to be. Parasympathetic dominance is a key in on-going good health.

Swedish massage can be performed as a full body protocol, or it can be applied to only specified areas of the body. Usually, Swedish massages are full-body massages, perhaps with an area of focus that gets some extra attention, such as the neck or shoulders. The amount of pressure can be as light or deep as the client prefers.

Tapotement

"Fluff and Buff"


As I mentioned at the beginning, Swedish massage is not just a type of massage, it also serves as any massage student's foundation. You learn these techniques first before learning other modalities. This is because Swedish techniques are well suited to warm and prepare the soft tissue for deeper or more involved work, such as deep tissue or sports massage. Working too deeply too quickly leads to bad things for the client. Even after massage school though, practitioners should not abandon this foundation. I've come across fellow MTs who dismiss Swedish as "relaxation massage" or "fluff and buff" and it shocks and upsets me. They don't think it's worth their time, that it's boring, that it's not "real" massage and that "everyone needs deep tissue".

Well, not everyone "needs" deep tissue. Not everyone likes deep work and should not be pressed to go past their comfort level. Also, massage is massage. All techniques are "real". Swedish or relaxing or full body work or however you want to think of it is still incredibly beneficial. And, I can bet you that those dismissive therapists are at least using the Swedish techniques of effleurage and petrissage when they begin any massage involving deeper work. And if they aren't, they are risking hurting their client. Not properly warming the soft tissue for deep work and working too fast is what leads to pain, bruising or injury to the client.

Swedish massage deserves respect by practitioners and consumers alike. Without the advent of this classic massage method in the United States, there might not be any MTs practicing any type of massage here today.

October 25 -31

October 25th -31st is this year's National Massage Therapy Awareness Week (NMTAW), sponsored by the American Massage Therapy Association. I thought this might be a good time to remind everyone of massage's amazing benefits.

Massage:

Lowers heart rate
Lowers blood pressure
Improves circulation
Facilitates healing
Reduces the stress hormone, cortisol.
Flushes toxins from the body
Relieves painful tension
Relaxes
Rejuvinates
Boosts immune function


Studies suggest that massage can also:

Improve sleep function
Lower cholesterol
Improve focus in ADD/ADHD


During NMTAW I'll be giving a 25% discount off any massage. Appointments are available Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Anatomy Lesson: The Hip Joint

Recently, I interviewed at the Baltimore School of Massage for an instructor or teaching assistant position. As part of the interview process, I had to give a 20 minute mock lecture on a subject of my choice to some of the current staff. I chose Anatomy, because I aced it when I was student myself and am often giving short little "lessons" to clients. I was asked to lecture on the hip joint. I can tell you this: twenty minutes allows for only a nutshell explanation of the hip joint. So, here is the hip joint in a nutshell! (Click on the images to enlarge.)

The hip joint is made up of the pelvis and thigh. The pelvis is made of two coxal bones*, or hip bones. These are each divided further into the ischium, the ilium and the pubis. These three bones are fused. Each coxal bone articulates (joins with, meets) with a femur, or thigh bone. This articulation is known as the femoralcoxal joint**, or hip joint. So one coxal bone and one femur equals one hip joint.


There are two important bony landmarks in the hip joint, one on the coxal bone and one on the femur. On the coxal bone you have the acetabulum***, a bowl-shaped indentation where the ilium, ischium and pubis meet. On the femur, you have the head of the femur, shaped like a ball, which articulates with the acetabulum by nestling into its bowl. This type of joint is known as a ball-and-socket.

Ball-and-socket joints allow for several types of movement: flexion and extension, rotation (around an axis), circumduction (circular, all around) and abduction and adduction. Abduction is movement away from the midline of the body; think abd-, as in abdicating from the body. Adduction is movement toward the midline of the body; think add, as in "adding" something to the body.

The major muscles of the hip cross the hip joint and act as pulleys to the bones' levers to achieve all this motion. The pelvis is fixed while the femur moves. The head of the femur pivots around in the acetabulum.

Four quadriceps are located on the anterior (front) and lateral (outside) femur. The quads flex the hip, bringing the thigh to the torso.**** Three hamstrings muscles are on the posterior (back) thigh, and work to extend the hip, bringing the thigh out of flexion or hyperextending the thigh behind the body.

Three gluteal muscles shape the buttock. The gluteus maximus forcefully extends the hip and laterally rotates the thigh. Lateral rotation is when you turn the anterior thigh bone to the outside. Your foot will turn to the outside, too. Gluteus medius and gluteus minimus abduct the hip, moving the femur away from the body. They also medially rotate the hip, turning the anterior thigh bone to the inside (turning the foot to the inside, too).

Five adductors work to do just that: adduct the thigh, or bring it toward the body. These muscles sit in between the quads and hamstrings on the medial (inside) femur. Then there are six small, deep muscles beneath the gluteals called the lateral rotators. Can you guess what they do? The work with gluteus maximus to laterally rotate the thigh.

Flex, abduct, extend and adduct the femur and the result is circumduction, or a circular motion, like making circles with your arms in gym class.


So, the next time you are walking up the stairs, you'll know that you are alternately flexing and extending the hip joint, engaging your quads, hamstrings and gluteus maximus. Notice how the quads and hamstrings are directly opposite each other on the femur, and how they perform opposing actions. It's the same for gluteus medius and minimus, which abduct the thigh, and sit laterally on the hip. The adductors of the thigh sit medially. Opposite sides, opposite actions.

Enjoy your new understanding of the articulation of the coxal bone and femur!

These pictures are from Trail Guide to the Body, Second Edition, by Andrew Biel, illustrated by Robin Dorn (both massage therapists) and published by Books of Discovery.

*Two coxal bones make the pelvic girdle, and when you add the sacrum and the coccyx, you have the pelvic bowl. Pelvis is Latin for "basin".

**It is also referred to as the acetabularfemoral joint (acetabulum and femur), or the ilialfemoral joint (ilium and femur), or simply the coxal joint. Either way, the name tells you the location.

***Acetabulum (as-e-tab-u-lum) is Latin for "little vinegar saucer". The Romans would use vinegar daily and would keep it in large wooden saucers or bowls. These bowls would develop cracks, like spider veins. Scientists of the time refered to this bony landmark as a "little vinegar saucer" because of its bowl shape and how the articulation of the ilium, ischium and pubis looked like cracks.

****The quadratus femoris or "quads" muscle is so large that is actually made up of four different heads, each with its own name: rectus femoris ("upright" or "straight" and "femur"), vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and vastus intermedius (vast = large, lateral = outside, medial = inside). And truly, only rectus femoris flexes the hip joint, as it's the 0nly head to cross it. The primary action of the quads is to extend the knee.

Healing Stone Therapy

I finally have stones at my massage practice! I have the smooth basalt stones for hot stone massage (what most people think of when they think "stones" and "massage" together). But, I also have marble stones for cold stone massage.


Now, if a client came to me and wanted a full body hot stone massage for relaxation, that wouldn't be out of the ordinary. But I wouldn't perform a full body cold stone massage. Rather, I combine the hot and cold stones. This is perfect for deep tissue work, for a client who really wants to release tension in the soft tissue. I alternate between the hot basalt stone and cold marble stone. The hot stones promote flexibility and suppleness, while the cold stones reduce inflammation and pain. This combination flushes the muscles, detoxifying them. It also allow the soft tissue to release tension.


For example, when a client needs deep work to their shoulder, I usually stretch and sculpt the scapula (shoulder blade), working the rhomboids (in between your scapulae) and subscapularis muscles (sub= under, scapularis=scapula). On a client who is very tight in this area, I might not be able to get under the scapula. But, if I flush the muscle by applying alternating hot and cold stones, I can take the flat disc of a cold marble stone and slip it completely under the scapula. And the client doesn't feel any pain or discomfort. They just feel relief!

Pricing is available at www.stephaniehaddock.com

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