Swedish massage currently represents the western "standard" for massage. Also commonly known as "therapeutic massage", it represents a general massage system that focuses on increasing circulation and promoting relaxation.

When you picture massage, you're probably thinking of Swedish massage or a derivative. Spas, salons, and health and fitness clubs typically offer this form of massage. Consumers can also find Swedish massage offered in many chiropractic offices.

Most often, massage therapists receive initial training in Swedish massage techniques as part of their certification and licensing process. To maintain professional certification, therapists must take continuing education courses, and may elect to progress to more advanced forms of Swedish Massage or learn additional techniques.

Swedish | Deep-Tissue | Background

Basic Swedish Massage represents the most common form of massage in the United States. Therapists frequently develop their own unique styles of massage based on the fundamental moves from the Swedish "school" of massage.

The Swedish approach classifies 5 types of strokes:

• Effleurage - gliding
• Petrissage - kneading
• Friction - rubbing
• Tapotement - pounding
• Vibration - shaking

Each type of stroke offers different benefits.

Therapists focus most often on client relaxation using this technique, relying mostly on gliding and kneading strokes, as well as oils and lotions. Clients typically receive a full-body massage that lasts 60 to 90 minutes.

Deep-tissue massage consists of slower strokes and more pressure. The therapist targets deeper muscle groups after first warming the soft tissues.

Clients frequently find deep-tissue massage less comfortable, and not necessarily more effective, unless used properly. Depending on the goals of the massage session, simply using more pressure will not improve the results.

Therapists also use deep-tissue massage to help break up scar tissue. Most of the strokes, however, remain fundamentally the same as with more superficial Swedish massage, used for relaxation.

Many other western massage techniques rely heavy on deep-tissue work: These include:

• Connective Tissue Massage;
• Neuromuscular Techniques; and,
• Trigger Point Therapy.

Therapists generally use no oil or lotion for these techniques.

Also, most traditional Chinese massage uses no oil or lotion. Many of the eastern techniques, such as Acupressure, consist primarily of deeper tissue work.

Modern U.S. massage began to develop in Europe in the 19th century. A Swedish physiologist and gymnastics instructor, named Pehr Henrik Ling, developed and promoted his own system of massage. He primarily classified the massage techniques used by Greeks and Romans in ancient times. Ling's system, which he called Medical Gymnastics, became more commonly known as Swedish massage.

In the United States, Pehr Ling is also considered the "father of physical therapy". Massage only constituted approximately 10% of the techniques used by Ling when providing treatments. Ironically, I have met massage therapists native to Sweden, that trained in Sweden, and never heard of Pehr Ling.

Later, a Dutch physician, named Johann Mezger, promoted Swedish massage using a medical model. Most credit Mezger with introducing and popularizing the use of French terminology to describe the system. Swedish massage represents one form of Western methods of massage.

Traditional U.S. medicine (i.e., allopathic medicine, biomedicine) does not recognize massage as a method of treatment, but this is slowly changing. (See Medical Massage). Currently, however, the Russian Medical Community recognizes 3 schools of Western massage:

• Swedish - Restored massage treatment to the arsenal of modern medicine. Introduced the Western general public to the benefits of massage.
• Finnish - First system of Sports Massage, originating from Swedish massage. Important in the development of modern neuromuscular therapy.
• Russian - Began as traditional medicine among Slavic tribes in the 4th-5th centuries A.D. Recognized and used since the 1800's as an effective treatment for disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Strong initial influence from from the Swedish school. Further developed in 1900's as a result of research and development of medical massage treatment methods in Germany, Russia, France, and England.

Modified Swedish techniques have now evolved into whole new systems of massage therapy, mostly based on the combining, packaging and marketing of specific techniques.

Many of the newer techniques incorporate Swedish massage with additional, ancillary strokes taken from other systems of massage. The format of a session, not just the type of massage strokes, also differentiates modern techniques.