Touch Techniques within Massage

From a soft touch to deep pressure to simple holding, massage therapy has a variety of touch tools aimed at detoxifying, revitalizing and rejuvenating. This article will give a simple overview of a variety of touch techniques within the world of massage therapy, including tactile, swedish, deep, reflexology and myofascial touch.

Tactile massage is the gentlest form of touch therapy. It mimics the long, smooth strokes of Swedish massage, but with very light pressure. A tactile massage therapist would only use the natural weight of her hand during the massage session. Tactile therapy is great for use with infants, the elderly and the terminally ill. People within these populations would greatly benefit from a soft healing touch, but require a less forceful application in order not to hurt them or release too many toxins for their body to process.

Swedish massage is the most popular from of massage therapy. Using smooth strokes, usually with medium pressure, it is a relaxing touch that soothes and de-stresses. Student of massage therapy usually learn a Swedish routine to get their initial hours to become a certified massage therapist. Swedish massage provides a fundamental knowledge and understanding of the basics of therapeutic touch on the human body.

Deep touch is usually associated with deep tissue massage. It uses deep pressure designed to target specific problem areas. Therapists in deep tissue do extensive study on human anatomy and physiology. Without that knowledge, there is greater risk of injury to the client. However, as a client, it is also your responsibility to speak up if the therapist is causing you to feel pain in a bad way where you tense or fight against the massage.

Reflexology is a different approach to healing. It uses a unique touch technique called thumb rolling or holding points on the feet, hands and ears for relaxation. It can also help heal specific problems in the body or organs.

Although common belief is that reflexology began in ancient Egypt or Asia, in the early 1900s, medical doctors in the United States and France developed the reflexology that is currently practiced worldwide. Bill Flocco, director of the American Academy of Reflexology, is teaching his pioneering work in integrating the foot, hand and ear routines for maximum benefit to alleviate or decrease pain and stress.

Myofascial touch is gaining wider appeal for its lasting benefits. John Barnes, who still teaches myofascial healing seminars in Sedona, Arizona, developed it. Myofascial release is holds and pulls designed to unwind emotional or physical pain locked in the body.

The therapist removes the effects of gravity from the client’s body with the holds or pulls to allow for an unwinding result. The goal is to release those pains locked in the fascia, which is a spiderweb of connective tissue that runs through your body, from major muscles down to your individual fibers and cells.

According to John Barnes, “…the body remembers everything that has ever happened to it. When a person has experienced unpleasant situations or traumas…the body, in an attempt to protect itself from further harm, creates a dissociation or amnesia of the event. Time does not heal emotional wounds; it simply covers them up with layer on adaptive fascial layer, tightening over time…uncovered during the myofascial unwinding process…”

There are many therapeutic massage touch techniques through modalities such as craniosacral massage, rolfing, and more. Regardless of the form of massage you get, remember that healing is a process and massage is your tool. It is your responsibility to choose the massage modality to help you best in your healing process.