Swedish Massage

Pehr Henrik Ling is widely regarded as the "father of Swedish Massage Therapy." He paved the way for other therapists and the world has never been the same since. Massage therapy has been around for thousands of years and has been a medium through which many cultures have communicated and a powerful tool for healing and relieving pain. The roots of massage therapy have been traced as far back as the ancient river valley civilizations, that include: the Yellow River Valley, Indus River Valley, and the Nile River Valley. Even when there was no written language for different civilizations, the tradition of massage and its powerful and effective techniques were passed on to the next generations to come.

Reflecting on Swedish massage:

- effleurage
-petrissage
-friction (spreading, cross-fiber, circular, layering)
-vibration = jostling, rocking
-tapotement = hacking, chucking, beating, pincing / picking, and tapping
-traction (leg pull, arm pull, cervical traction)
-range of motion
-"hip hook" hyperadduction of the leg

Range of motion:
-knee (off the table and on the table), knee flexion and knee pseudocircumduction
-shoulder circumduction ("ferris wheel")
-choo choo
-ice skater
-arm to the ceiling
-elbow to the ceiling
-frog leg

Scooping posterior cervical
Arm behind back ("chicken wing")
Oppositional sternum

Facial massage:
-forehead to chin
-broad to narrow
-ear pulls, hair pulls, scalp

Extra: pulling on hip with one hand and other hand on the shoulder (both in supine and prone position).

https://nccih.nih.gov/health/massage/massageintroduction.htm

Smith, Marlaine C; Stallings, Mary Ann; Mariner, Suzanne; Burrall, Maggie. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine; Aliso Viejo5.4 (Jul 1999): 64-71.

Massage Therapy Research

The therapeutic benefits of massage continue to be researched and studied. Recent research has shown the effectiveness of massage for the following conditions:

Cancer-related fatigue8
Low back pain9
Osteoarthritis of the knee10
Reducing post-operative pain11
Boosting the body’s immune system functioning12
Decreasing the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome13
Lowering blood pressure14
Reducing headache frequency15
Easing alcohol withdrawal symptoms17
Decreasing pain in cancer patients17
Fibromyalgia18

References

1 Data compiled by American Massage Therapy Association 2016.
2 IBIS World Industry Report OD6028 Massage Services, November 2015
3 IBIS World Industry Report 62139b Alternative Healthcare Providers in the US, December 2016
4 2016 AMTA Consumer Surveys
5 5 2017 Zogby Analytics survey
6 2016 AMTA Industry Survey
7 AMTA Consumer Surveys 2003-2016
8 Currin, J. Meister, E.A. (2008) A hospital-based intervention using massage to reduce distress among oncology patients. Cancer Nurs. 31(3):214-21. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18453878?ordinalpos=3&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
9 Preyde M. (2003) Effectiveness of massage therapy for subacute low back pain: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Soft Tissue Manipulation, 8, 4 – 10.
10 Perlman AI, Sabina A, Williams AL, Njike VY, Katz DL. (2006) Massage Therapy for Osteoarthritis of the Knee. Arch Intern Med. 166(22):2533-8.
11 Piotrowski, M., Paterson, C., Mitchinson, A., Kim, H. M., Kirsh, M., Hinshaw, D. B. (2003) Massage as Adjuvant Therapy in the Management of Acute Postoperative Pain: A Preliminary Study in Men. Journal of the American College of Surgeons, 197(6), 1037-1046.
12 Rapaport, M. H., Schettler, P., Bresee, C. (2010) A Preliminary Study of the Effects of a Single Session of Swedish Massage on Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal and Immune Function in Normal Individuals. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 16(10), 1-10.
13 Field, T., Diego, Miguel, Cullen, Christy, Hartshorn, Kristin, Gruskin, Alan, Hernandez-Reif, Maria, Sunshine, William. (2004). Carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms are lessened following massage. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies. 8:9-14. http://www.massagetherapyfoundation.org/pdf/Massage%20and%20carpal%20tunnel%20syndrome.pdf
14 Hernandez-Reif M, Field T, Krasnegor J, Theakston H, Hossain Z, Burman I (2000). High blood pressure and associated symptoms were reduced by massage therapy. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 4, 31 – 38.
15 Quinn C, Chandler C, Moraska A. Massage Therapy & Frequency of Chronic Tension Headaches. (2002) American Journal of Public Health. 92(10):1657-61
16 Reader M, Young R, Connor JP. (2005) Massage therapy improves the management of alcohol withdrawal syndrome. J Altern Complement Med. 11(2):311-3. PMID: 15865498.
17 American College of Physicians. (2008) Massage Therapy May Have Immediate Positive Effect On Pain And Mood For Advanced Cancer Patients. Science Daily 16 September. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080915174534.htm.
18 Castro-Sánchez, A.M., Matarán-Peñarrocha, G.A., Granero-Molina, J., Aguilera-Manrique, G., Quesada-Rubio, J.M., Moreno-Lorenzo, C. (2011). Benefits of massage-myofascial release therapy on pain, anxiety, quality of sleep, depression, and quality of life in patients with fibromyalgia. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2011:561753.
Released February 23, 2017
© American Massage Therapy Association 2017. All rights reserved.
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Released February 2017

Massage and stress

Tiffany field is a researcher who began studying the beneficial effects of healthy touch in 1982
In 1992 she established the touch research institute at the university of miami school of medicine
She discovered that massage lowers cortisol, increases dopamine and serotonin, and increases cells of the immune system
Stimulates the parasympathetic NS – rest and recovery
Relaxes muscles, breaks vicious cycle of stress (see Job’s body p.320)

Massage and the endocrine system textbook : Braun p.192

Effects of massage on the endocrine system

Massage increases circulation of blood and lymph to stressed organs
Hormones reach their target cells better
Massage reduces the stress hormones

Why Massage?

The Benefits of Massage:

Here is a partial list of the common benefits of massage. Massage can help heal by increasing circulation to an area. It can help relieve tension and relieve pain. It induces relaxation and has been shown to have positive effects on brain chemistry, including the production of serotonin and and dopamine.

Massage can help these conditions (a partial list of conditions helped by massage, as shown by research and/or overwhelming patient reports ):

Massage for Back Pain – spasms, herniated discs, pulled muscles, trauma, sciatica
Neck Pain – spasms, whiplash, “crick in the neck”, herniated discs
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome – numbness and pain in arms and hands caused by compression in the shoulder area of nerves due to tight muscles
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome – weakness or pain in hands, wrists and forearms usually due to repetitive motions such as computer work.
Rotator Cuff Injuries (Shoulder injuries)
Headaches – tension headaches, migraines, sinus headaches
Fibromyalgia – helps with pain and stress and assists in the healing process
Foot Pain or Plantar Fasciaitis
Knee Pain
Iliotibial Band Pain
Massage For Cancer – helps with the stress and pain of the healing process. NOTE: if you are actively undergoing cancer treatment, seeking out a more specialized oncology massage therapist is recommended. That training may be in our future, but for now you can find a therapist here.

Hip Pain
Arthritis – Helps to relieve the pressure on the joints to keep them moving and can help prevent arthritis
Jaw Pain/Temporal Mandibular Joint Dysfunction
Digestive disorders
Pelvic Floor disorders
Pregnancy Massage – to help relieve some of the side effects of being pregnant and relieve pregnancy related conditions such as back pain and sciatica.
Depression and Anxiety
ADD, ADHD
Recovery from surgeries such as herniated discs, knee surgery, neck surgery or surgery to repair injuries
Stress – reduces blood pressure, relieves tension, reduces stress that can affect the immune system as well as mental, emotional and spiritual health
Relieves “Knots” or Trigger Points and Tender Points which cause pain
Attachment disorders in infants, children and adults
Massage For Dementia