Sports Massage Therapy Techniques
Sports massage is the alternative medicine of choice for athletes. There are four types of sport massage techniques in use today: effleurage, petrissage, frictions and tapotement.
Effleurage
Effleurage is always used to start any massage session and is usually carried out using the whole palm of the hand and the fingers. A variety of stroking movements are applied with various pressures depending on the purpose and phase of the massage.
The basic stroking movement comprises an upward and return stroke carried out by applying light pressure using the palm of the hands on the recipient's body. This aims to introduce the touch of the therapist to the client and put him at ease.
The touch should build up to firmer pressure as the massage session progresses, in order to warn the tissues and increase blood flow. In this phase, you need to focus on any muscular tissue abnormalities that may require special attention further on. Make sure you apply the technique in a rhythmical and relaxed manner to ensure you don't miss on any "tender" areas.
Petrissage
Petrissage involves various ways of kneading, rolling and picking up the skin and muscles. These movements stimulate the deep layers of tissue and the flow of blood and lymph. This ensures a strengthening of body structures.
A single group of muscles or an individual muscle are worked out at a time. The therapist starts with his fingers pointing away from the recipient's body, then grasps the flesh using his fingers and thumbs and presses it against the other hand. The hand is then continuously squeezed and released on the muscle worked on.
Frictions
Also called "connective tissue massage", this type of massage is particularly useful for focusing on specific areas of muscle spasm.
The therapist applies static pressure by gradually leaning into one particular site of muscular tension. He then uses his thumbs or fingertips to apply deep, direct pressures for a few seconds and then gradually release. When using knuckles, the aim is to release tension in a loosely clenched motion.
Tapotement
Tapotement, or percussion movement, includes fast and stimulating massage movements. Techniques include pummelling, hacking and cupping. Pummelling is the use of brisk and firm strokes with the outer edge of loosely clenched fists, or the front of the knuckles. Hacking is a similar technique but uses the sides of the palm, or the outer edge of the hand, instead of the fingers. For cupping, curve your hands to make a cup-shape, bend at the knuckles and stroke a fleshy area to create suction against the skin.
The key to tapotement is to keep hands, writs and figures relaxed and to alternate hands in brisk and rhythmic movements. Besides stimulating blood circulation and dispersing fluids, it helps tone sagging muscles and skin prone to cellulite.