Massage and touch therapy is one of the oldest medical practices in history. More recently, in the 1800s, Swedish massage was officially coined, building on ancient techniques used by ancient Greeks and Romans to enhance many physical benefits. It is now the baseline for which most western massage practices are based upon.

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Swedish massage is comprised of these four main techniques (but added to and personalised by each massage therapist):

• Effleurage – this movement is done with the flat of the hand and covers a large surface area slowly and rhythmically. This movement is usually made towards the heart and increases blood and lymph flow whilst warming up the muscles in preparation for the following techniques.

• Petrissage – from the French 'Petrir' (meaning to knead), petrissage is traditionally linked with deeper, focussed kneading movements. Typically this movement is applied with the balls of the thumb or the fingers and soft tissue is compressed with bone underneath it. This compression movement helps to eliminate waste products and remove tension, as well as finding and gently working any knotted areas.

• Picking up – this is a deep movement that can be applied to many parts of the body; the action is very similar to that of kneading, using alternate hands to grasp, lift and release a muscle or muscle group. This action can improve elasticity and flexibility by creating movement between muscle bands.

• Tapotement – these are vibratory movements that can be applied with the fingers or hands, working quickly and rhythmically. The most common type is hacking - this 'chopping' movement is applied with the edge of the hand with the fingers slightly spread apart, to create a vibration when the hand strikes the skin's surface. This brings blood towards the surface which is beneficial to the skin, peripheral nerve endings and subcutaneous tissue. A more gentle type of tapotement is using the fingertips to create the feeling of soft raindrops all over the face to stimulate circulation and promote deep relaxation.​

 

I will sometimes gently move, stretch and rotate joints such as wrists and ankles during your routine. This passive movement helps to improve mobility and gently stretch the surrounding muscles whilst they are relaxed.

 

Each massage is unique and tailored to your needs and preferences on the day.