NAMING CONVENTIONS

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TECHNIQUE*

F - Gliding – Deep (deep effleurage, longitudinal friction, stripping) F - Scraping

F - J-stroke Gliding (effleurage)

Hand rolling Holding Kneading (petrissage) K - Skin rolling

LD - Compression - circular LD - Pumping

LD - Rebound Percussion (Tapotement)

Percussion with stretch P-ROM - Passive stretching P-ROM - Positional release Stretching – manual – direct Traction

V- Flopping V - Rocking or jostling

V – Shaking V – Vibration

MECHANICS OF STROKE

A type of friction that involves pressing into the skin and moving it over the underlying tissues. Motion follows the direction of the muscle fibres

A type of friction that involves scraping bony or ligamentous areas with thumb, knuckles, fingers, or massage tool - smoothing the surface, as if shaving ice

A type of friction that involves pressing into the skin to underlying tissue and hook that tissue in a J motion

Fr “to skim”, to touch lightly on” - palm, knuckles, fingers, or backs of hands glide gradually over client’s body. Can be used to move blood and lymph

Rotating wrist on body with knuckles as contact point Static, broad contact (eg. whole hand) to warm, relax or mobilise tissues

Fr “to knead” - rhythmic lifting , kneading and squeezing of the soft tissue. Can also be used to 'milk' lymph fluid and move it toward the heart

A specific type of petrissage where the superficial fascia is grasped between thumb and forefingers (or between other parts of the therapist’s body), continuously lifted and rolled over the underlying tissue in a wave-like motion

Light to deep circular movements over lymph nodes

Contacting and moving fluid through the lymph vessels (back to the heart) using repetitions of a pumping or kneading movement

Patient inhales slowly and the therapist gradually increases pressure to target area (e.g. lymph nodes in viscera). During patient’s exhale, the pressure is rapidly released Series of brisk blows, rapidly following each other

A series of brisk blows, rapidly following each other applied while muscle is placed/held in the lengthened position

Taking patient’s muscle into a position of lengthening by moving a joint without any effort on their part

Passively placing the body in a position of maximal comfort. Can use point tenderness as a guide to positioning

Mechanically lengthening the muscle and/or fascia between your hands without moving a joint. Does not need to be applied parallel to fibre direction

Mechanically lengthening muscle and fascia by pulling on joints

Limb is lifted and bounced (with support for joints) on the table Slower rhythmic type of vibration applied to the whole body in conjunction with the patient’s body rhythm

A type of vibration, using a lifting or pulling of the skin or a limb and then rhythmically shaking it

Continuous shaking or trembling movement made by hands, fingers or mechanical tool that is focused on a specific area of the body. Vibration can be applied to the entire back by moving the hands, fingers, or tool systematically across it

APPLICATION NOTES (E.G, ANATOMIC LOCATIONS, CONDI- TIONS, PRESSURE)

Everywhere. Use caution on the face.

Joints, bony or ligamentous areas. Avoid the face.. Use caution in tender areas

Use in localised areas, but everywhere on the body, except the face. Use caution on tender areas

Everywhere. If moving lymph, long light gliding strokes should be performed in the direction of the heart Everywhere, except the face Everywhere,

Everywhere. When working on limbs begin proximally. When moving lymph fluid, apply kneading with a light touch

Everywhere there are subcutaneous fascial adhesions

At watershed areas (eg. axilla, inguinal) Along lymph vessels Abdomen, primarily

Everywhere, except the throat, breasts, abdomen, bony promi- nences, kidneys, back of knee, spine or any area of endanger- ment. Use caution on the face (e.g. light tapping only)

Used on trigger points and muscle bellies. Use with caution on tender areas.

Arms, legs, trunk and neck. Everywhere. Everywhere, except not appropriate for face Everywhere.

Arms and legs. Everywhere.

Everywhere, except the face. Everywhere.

EXAMPLE STYLES WHERE USED Myofascial release; sports massage

Neuromuscular therapy; structural integration

Neuromuscular therapy; mysofascial release; structural integration Swedish; lymphatic drainage

Lomilomi; sports massage; Tuina

Myofascial release; polarity; Reiki; Swedish Sports massage; Swedish; Tuina

Myofascial release; sports massage

Lymphatic drainage Lymphatic drainage

Lymphatic drainage; visceral mas- sage

Sports massage; Swedish;

Sports massage; neuromuscular therapy Sports massage; Swedish gymnastics

Aston patterning; craniosacral; strain counterstrain

Sports massage; neuromuscular therapy; myofascial release

Craniosacral; sports massage; struc- tural integration

Sports massage; Swedish; Trager Swedish; Trager; Tuina; Shiatsu

Swedish; Trager Swedish; Tuina

*Techniques are listed alphabetically, except that those considered ‘closely related’ are grouped together and can be distinguished because they have one or more capitalised letters in front of them. The letter is NOT part of the technique’s name.

** Although common parlance among massage therapists when describing specific techniques [23, 24], the terms ‘Post-Isometric Relaxation’ and ‘Reciprocal Inhibition’ technically refer to the originally purported mechanism of those techniques [25]. The work of Ballentyne et al [25] has shown that the purported mechanisms do not accurately explain the observed effects.