Scientific massage : Techniques for Relaxation and Wellness

Part – 2

Hand and foot massage –

Any type of massage should begin with gentle rubbing and end with gentle hand rubs. Rubbing with hands, pressure friction with thumb and fingers, pinching and lifting of muscles are useful for massaging the hands. Fingers, joints, ankles should be massaged. Move the paw up and down. Stretch the fingers gently. Hold the claw and palm of the hand in both hands and gently twist and also gently twist the wrist.

Apply gentle friction to the palm, massage the back of the palm with a pressure friction massage to open the blood vessels. Massage the wrist from inside to outside. Apply pressure on wrist with thumb and fingers. The wrists should be rubbed, patted, the muscles from the wrist to the shoulders should be pinched and lifted and rubbed gently. Roll back and forth, up and down circularly through the joint.

Foot Massage –

While massaging from the feet, friction massage the fingers and paws. The soles of the feet should be massaged with medicated oils like Mahanarayan oil, coconut oil, castor oil etc. Roll the thumb round the ankle. The foot on the ankle should be rotated upwards and the claws should also be downwards. Stretch your fingers. Massage the legs in a circular motion from the feet to the knees. Thighs should be massaged from inside to outside and thighs from outside to inside.

Thighs should be rubbed with palms from bottom to top, patted, rubbed, patted and rubbed gently again. While rubbing the soles of the feet, press very hard on the center of the soles with the thumb, gently massage the limbs of a person suffering from high blood pressure in the direction opposite to the heart. But a gentle massage of the chest and back should be done in the direction of the heart.

Abdominal Massage –

Massage the stomach gently. Stomach should be empty during massage. Around the navel, circular massage should be done in a clockwise direction with the hands. Then rub the transverse part of the stomach on the upper part of the stomach with a circular massage. Then the center of the stomach should be massaged around the navel. Massage the area around the navel by gently applying pressure with the thumb and fingers in circular motions. If you have a liver disorder, do a dry massage on the stomach area.

Neck Massage –

The muscles in the upper part of the back on the side of the neck, when stretched with the hands, when tapped with the fists, help to relieve fatigue, help to reduce shoulder pain. Gentle pressure, kneading, patting, pinching, rubbing on the neck gives relief.  

Scientific massage : Techniques for Relaxation and Wellness
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Back and Lumbar Massage :-

Back and lumbar massage is soothing. Do not forget to massage the spine while massaging the back. It is necessary to press, rub, knead the back with hands, thumbs and fingers. Pressing on the waist is helpful. The spine should be properly rubbed. The rubbing action creates vibrations and gives the massage a pleasant effect. Apply pressure with whole palms. Massage the spine from waist to neck. There should be rhythm in this massage. A pressure massage of the vertebrae with the thumb or fingers massages the vertebrae below the vertebrae, a total of 33 vertebrae.

Eye Massage –

Place one thumb over each eye and gently press it up to the ear. The ear should be covered completely with the thumb. And the ears should be pulled outwards. This massage relaxes the eyes and by placing the thumbs on the eyebrows, gradually pressing the thumbs up to the ears, pressing the ears and pulling the nose.

Then gently rub both ears with four fingers. Place one thumb of both hands near the ear on both sides of the forehead and place the remaining four fingers horizontally on the forehead. The tips of all four fingers should be aligned with each other. Fingers should first rub both sides of the forehead from top to bottom. After that, rub the forehead horizontally with four fingers to the right and left.

Head Massage –

While massaging the head, gently rub your fingers in circular motions along the roots of the hair. Hold the hair in fists and knead gently. Press, lift up with a loose hand. Do not pull or stretch. Put your fingers in your hair and pat it gently. Slap gently with palms. On the head i.e. on the hair, never rub. Apply a gentle circular friction action with the fingers on the roots of the hair. Apply the oil on the hair and massage the oil gently at the root of the hair without rubbing the hair vigorously. 

Direction of massage –

The direction of massaging the main part of the body is fixed.

Massage on the front – should be massaged on the chest, abdomen, arms.

Massage on the back – should be done on the back, spine, arms, shoulders, pelvis, abdomen.

Scientific massage : Techniques for Relaxation and Wellness
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What care should be taken while massaging. –

1) Massage should always be done towards the heart. In hypertensive disorders, massage should be done in the opposite direction of the heart.

2) The table should fit the human body in a comfortable position and completely. (like covering the entire body). The masseuse should stand at the side of the table and at the side of the person’s head.

3) The masseur should wash and clean his hands.

4) Fingernails should not be ingrown. Keep your face and heart happy.

5) Try to relieve physical and mental stress. Massage should be done carefully and intimately. Do not massage somehow.

6) The masseur and the masseur should not be suffering from dermatitis.

7) The masseuse should keep away the things on his hand like watch, ring etc.

8) Massage should not be done where there is swelling, injury, bruise, pain on the body parts. Leave that place and do a gentle massage.

9) Do not massage if you have stomach disorder.

10) Massage on an empty stomach. Do not massage if your stomach is full. Also, do not massage immediately after meals.

11) One should not massage a person who has polio and swelling in their body.

12) Massage should not be done if bones are fractured.

13) Do not massage in extremely hot environment.

14) Postpartum massage is essential.

15) Pregnant women should not be massaged on the stomach. There is no problem in massaging the back, neck, head, limbs and ankles of such women with gentle hands.

16) While massaging the ear, the index finger should not be inserted completely. Put it in slowly and rotate it round.

17) Do not press hard on the closed eyes while massaging the eyes. Apply very gentle pressure on the eye with the paw of the hand. Gently roll your fingers over the eyelids.

18) Full body massage should be completed in 50 to 60 minutes. 4 minutes each for both legs, 10 minutes for back, 10 minutes for chest and stomach, 2 minutes for neck, 2 minutes for neck, 5 minutes for face, eyes, ears should be given for all round massage.

Basic Manipulations used in Massage –

1) Effleurage –

Means stroking, soothing, gentle stroking and circular massage. This massage is used on the face, neck and shoulders. This type of massage does not apply too much pressure. Back shoulders and arms are massaged using palms. While massaging, every movement should be slow and rhythmic. Place the fingers on the area to be massaged in such a way that the tips of the fingers touch the skin by slowly turning the fingers.

2) Petrissage :-

This massage movement is given on the general soft tissue area. Also, this massage movement is given above the tissue under which the bones are. Stimulates muscles, nerves and glands in the opposite direction to the bone. It helps to remove the foreign material from the body. The pressure given while giving this massage movement should be light and rhythmic. This massage should not be given too fast. This massage movement is given on large areas like Back shoulder and Arms. In this, the skin is held between the thumb and the palm of the hand and pulled from the tissue towards the abdomen and massage is given in a pinching movement. This massage movement has two sub movements.

i) Fulling   ii) Palmer kneading

3) Tapotement –

This massage movement is also called percussion movement. This includes Tapping, slapping 1 and nacking movement, this massage movement is also in rhythm and is given faster and faster than other massage movements. Light tapping is used on the face. Also massage is given with hacking movement for back and shoulder. While giving this massage, both hands should be able to move slowly in a spring motion by keeping the wrist flexible. Also both hands one after the other is for toning effect.

Scientific massage : Techniques for Relaxation and Wellness
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4) Friction :-

Friction movement is a circular movement with the help of fingers or palms is given This is not a slow movement. It is given in a circular motion by applying light pressure on the same part. This movement is generally given to reduce the swelling in the area. Also, it is given to reduce the stiffness of the muscles or if there is a tumor in the tissue. Stiff joints are loosened. Also, these muscles are used to remove foreign substances from the body.

5) Joint Movement

This movement is used to loosen the hand joint. While giving this movement Arms are supported with one hand and the fingers of the other hand are rotated between the client’s fingers. Also finger joints and toe joints are rotated in movement as mentioned above. This movement should also be in rhythm.

6) Vibration :-

This massage movement is more of a stimulation massage. Only an experienced Beautician or cosmetalogist should give this massage movement. Do not give this massage for too long. In this, vibration is given rapidly with the help of finger tips or the palm of the hand by placing the hands of the operator on the arms. Vibration is given manually with the help of an electric vibrator

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