Swedish massage - what kind of massage is this, you ask?
It is known to almost everyone who has ever been at the reception of a specialist in manual therapy.
It is the basis for other massages, and it is from him that one should begin acquaintance with various massage techniques.
Swedish massage, like other types of therapeutic massage, is performed by trained, licensed massage therapists.
Swedish body massage. What is this: the pros and cons
Origin
The Swede Per Henrik Ling invented this massage in the 1830s.
During a fencing training, he injured his elbow and decided to cope with the consequences of this injury.
By pressing individual sections of the hand, the athlete began to develop the technique of manual therapy.
Subsequently, she gained fame under the name of Swedish massage.
Benefits
Unlike drug therapy, massage therapy is a safe way to eliminate the effects of injuries and has few contraindications.
Moreover, this procedure has many benefits for the body.
It improves the flexibility and mobility of joints, reduces swelling, relieves muscle cramps and fatigue, and stimulates blood circulation.
It also accelerates the healing of injuries, increases muscle strength, and soothes the nervous system after stress.
During the massage, the connective tissues are warmed up and stretched, and the skin is toned, the symptoms of asthma, arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome are relieved, acute pain, and migraines are relieved.
The advantages of massage to improve the emotional state are also undeniable:
- Psychological relaxation
- Increased duration and quality of sleep
- Relieving symptoms of stress, depression, and anxiety
- Irritability reduction
- Concentration improvement
- Swedish massage: how is it
Duration, on average, is 50-60 minutes. A session lasting 75–90 minutes is prescribed if necessary, a profound impact on muscle tissue and, as a result, rapid achievement of the result.
Swedish massage can be at a different pace. It all depends on the style of the therapist and the ultimate goal of treatment.
If you want a more profound work and are ready to endure a stronger physical effect to alleviate chronic muscle pain, it is better to order a deep tissue massage.
It should be remembered that pain can indicate a severe problem, which may require several massage sessions.
Often massage practices are used for weight loss, combining them with proper nutrition and daily routine.
What happens during body massage
During a Swedish massage, the therapist first lubricates the skin with oil and performs movements that should warm up the muscle tissue, releasing tension and gradually breaking up the "knots" or adhesions.
A few drops of various essential oils are often added to the oil base, which also has a beneficial effect on the skin.
Before starting the massage, the therapist should ask you about any bodily injuries and list the contraindications that you should be aware of.
It is necessary to warn the specialist about everything that can reduce the effectiveness of the session or aggravate pain.
Also, you should not undergo such procedures if you are pregnant or are currently being treated for an infectious disease.
TIP: SWEDISH MASSAGE IS CONTRAINDICATED WITH FRESH FRACTURES AND OPEN WOUNDS, VARIOUS EXTENSION OF VESSELS. FIRST DEVELOPMENT HYPERTENSION, ONCOLOGICAL DISEASES, AND TROUBLE.
During a Swedish massage, you are usually entirely naked under a towel or sheet.
If this factor causes absolute inconvenience, you can not remove underwear.
Most often, massage occurs while you are lying face down, with the head should be located in a particular niche provided in the table.
Only in this way, your spine takes the fixed position.
Massage start from the back. Next, the therapist proceeds to work with the legs, then with the hands.
Traditionally, the massage ends with a warm-up of the neck and shoulders.
Each movement of the therapist, especially at the beginning, is soft, smooth, even sensual.
Hands slowly glide over the patient's skin. Fingers specialist the entire surface of the soft tissues with his fingers.
Then striking begins, which is directed from the bottom up, that is, from the limbs to the trunk. The movement is slow.
A prerequisite is a focus on the heart, and not from it.
It is due to the fact that blood circulation should occur in the direction of the heart muscle, and not in the opposite.
So that body tissues are uniformly actively warmed up, they do not allow sudden movements.
At this stage, the person who is being massaged feels all the negativity and pain disappear.
The next step is kneading. Soft tissues are pulled back, squeezed slightly and released.
The therapist's movements are still slow but more confident. So they work the whole body.
Such a warm-up is instrumental, especially for the lower back and the collar zone, since at this stage deposits begin to split.
The use of this technique in the buttocks and thighs helps to split the "orange peel".
Rubbing is used in the area of the ankles, knees, neck, tendons, and ligaments.
This stage is carried out by hand or individual devices. Movements are directed at right angles to the muscles.
After the massage, if possible, you should take a bath with sea salt to complete the process of maximum muscle relaxation.
Swedish body massage: basic techniques
Regardless of the type of massage, the movements of the chiropractor are most often the same.
This is because the sequence, the force applied to the movements, as well as their intensity, play a more critical role.
Swedish massage is based on several traditional techniques.
Stroking
The specialist's hands stroke the skin, gently and smoothly slipping over the entire surface of the body.
At this stage, the patient relaxes and prepares for the subsequent physical impact.
Kneading
The therapist kneads the skin with gentle sweeping movements, squeezes it, and slightly stretches it.
Depending on the overall intensity of the massage, mild pain may appear at this stage.
Trituration
It is necessary for the destruction of scar tissue, as well as increased blood circulation.
Masseur intensively leads his palm in a circle. Thus, he warms the skin and achieves its natural polishing.
This step is especially useful for intensive weight loss exercises.
Banging and vibration
Short rhythmic and jerky movements carried out by the fingertips, palm edge, fist or palms folded into a handful are the basis of Swedish massage.
TIP: OTHER OPTIONS OF MOVEMENTS ARE ACCEPTABLE, AS Witnessing A SPECIAL METHOD OF CARRYING OUT THE PROCEDURE FOR A SPECIFIC THERAPEUT.
How to choose a massage therapist
Doing Swedish massage yourself is highly discouraged.
In the absence of proper preparation, there is a risk of pinching the nerve or causing micro-damage to the muscles.
Therefore, it is recommended to apply exclusively to specialists whom you can trust.
The first thing you should do is set your session goals:
- Stress reduction
- Relief of chronic or acute pain
- Nerve Disease Treatment
- Work efficiency improvement
- General health improvement
- Improving physical fitness
Then think about how you would like to see your future massage therapist.
You should be extremely careful here, as it rarely happens that visits to a salon or specialist end after the first session.
Be sure to evaluate the following factors: the availability of a license for a medical professional; the location of the procedure; the feedback of those who underwent the procedure.
TIP: ALSO PAY ATTENTION TO PERSONAL PREFERENCES CONCERNING A SPECIFIC SPECIALIST. MAYBE YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO UNFULLY RELAX IF THE MASSAGIST WILL BE AN OPPOSITE FLOOR.
The right solution would be to seek help from friends and acquaintances.
Perhaps someone from your environment has already resorted to the help of specialists and can give you the contacts of a massage therapist.
In addition to friends, your doctor can help you choose a therapist.
He likely has a list of massage therapists who have already established themselves as competent specialists.
You can also try to find a therapist on specialized pages on the Internet.
Often, such resources additionally provide information on the massage therapist qualifications and patient reviews.
If you do hatha yoga or other similar practices in a specialized center, then, for sure, there is an excellent specialist in Swedish massage.
The last step, when the therapist is already found is intelligence.
Call or visit your doctor's office and find out about the following:
- Styles Used
- Practice duration
- Possibilities for adjusting the procedure depending on the patient's preferences
- Availability of certificates of professional development
TIP: DO NOT IGNORE ANY OF THESE ITEMS, AS THE EFFICIENCY OF THERAPY DEPENDS ON THE LEVEL OF TRUST IN THE SPECIALIST AND ON WHICH YOU FEEL MUCH COMFORTABLE DURING THE SESSION. IF YOU DO NOT BE ABLE TO RELAX FULLY, THE RESULT MAY NOT BE ONLY ZERO, BUT AND, IN SOME CASES, NEGATIVE.
