How To Effleurage Stroke

758 Words2 Pages

The hands are the most important tool. They are sensitive and versatile and can transmit all kinds of information about the condition of the tissue. Different parts of the hand will be used depending on what stroke technique is used such as the heel of the hand, the fingers, the thumbs, the fists or assisted hands.
You should always begin a massage with a superficial effleurage stroke which is applied to the back; some therapists begin a massage by applying a warm towel to the soles of the feet. Once the tissue has been warmed up through effleurage strokes and any adhesions have been identified, deeper strokes such as friction or vibration can then be applied.

Direction
The choices of direction are longitudinal, transverse and circular. Each …show more content…

Speed at the beginning of any massage you do you will begin with a superficial effleurage stroke which is to warm up the muscles and can be done at a moderate speed. when you move from this to a deeper stroke to identify adhesions you will need to make this a slower speed so that there is no friction to the skin, dragging of the tissues under the skin. Follow the rule “the deeper you go, the slower you go”.

If the massage stroke is too fast for the depth of the stroke, this may cause a “jerking” motion across the skin which can be very uncomfortable for the client and interrupt the integrity and continuity of the massage. The speed of each stroke should be modified to allow you to smoothly flow from one stroke to another, such as from a friction stroke to an effleurage stroke.

Pressure
Pressure should apply light and superficial at the start of session to warm up the tissue and prepare it for deeper work as well as to assess the condition of the tissue and determine which areas need attention.
During and at the end the end the application of the deeper strokes, light effleurage should be applied to indicate that the massage is coming to an end; for example, light strokes can be applied up the …show more content…

When applying any massage stroke you should maintain continuity with the client (always keep one had in contact with their body); do not wait for one hand to reach the top of the back before applying the stroke with the next hand, but instead begin the stroke with the second hand when the first hand is about 50% of the way up the back.

Duration
The duration of each massage stroke will be unique to your client; for example, a superficial effleurage stroke to warm up the muscles may take longer for a client who has a higher body fat percentage than a lean client.

Techniques such as hacking should only be applied for a few seconds so that the skin is not irritated, no damage is done to the soft tissue beneath the skin such as haematomas and so that the stroke does not cause pain to the client.

Friction strokes are applied in order to break down adhesions; obviously the time for this stroke will vary for each client depending on the size, density and location of the adhesion. It is important to remember that it is very unlikely that you will be able to totally eradicate an adhesion in one massage treatment; it usually happens over the course of several regular massage

More about How To Effleurage Stroke

Open Document