massage terminology

How many times have you been to a massage therapist, a doctor’s office, even your local mechanic and been told something in a language you don’t understand? Even though English was spoken, the words just didn’t make sense to you. Like most people, you smile politely, nod your head, and walk away wondering what exactly he meant.

You may have done this because you didn’t want to appear “stupid” in front of the person who was speaking to you. You’ve probably heard this before, but it needs to be repeated: “No dumb questions!” Especially when it comes to your health. If you don’t understand what they say, ask them to repeat it in a way you can understand.

Professionals use their own language. Depending on what profession the person belongs to, it dictates the language they use. When the professional is dealing with the general public, he sometimes forgets that he needs to use “profane” terms in order to be understood. A good professional will take the time to make sure you understand what they are telling you. They have to, if they want your business. If they aren’t willing to come clean with you, then it might be a good time to seek another opinion.

In the massage profession, a therapist is taught the specific terms used in massage. Once a massage therapist learns these terms, he tends to use them. One of the reasons is so that there is no confusion as to what exactly they are talking about. That is, of course, if they are talking to another massage therapist. Sometimes they forget that they are not always talking to someone who understands massage terminology.

In this age of the Internet and the information superhighway, many people are educating themselves. I think this is an excellent thing to practice. The massage terminology that I am going to list is not definitive, but only some of the most common terms. I will try to explain each one in simple language.

Massage terminology:

types of massage

swedish massage: One of the most common forms of massage therapy. It is a very relaxing and therapeutic form of bodywork.

hot stone massage: A massage that uses basalt stones that are heated. They help the therapist deliver deep penetrating heat to the muscles.

deep tissue massage: A form of massage therapy that uses a lot of pressure to relieve muscle tension.

sport massage: A form of massage therapy designed for athletes. It is more vigorous than a Swedish massage.

trigger point therapy: A form of massage therapy designed to release a specific type of knot in the muscle. (see “All Knotted Up” below)

Therapeutic or Medical Massage: A form of massage therapy designed to target specific muscles.

Sitting Massage: A form of massage therapy that uses a chair specially designed for bodywork.

Reflexology: A form of bodywork that uses pressure points on the feet, hands, and ears to stimulate the corresponding body organs.

pregnancy massage: This is also known as side lying massage. It is used for pregnant women (obviously) but it is also used for special circumstances. A client may have a physical disability or pain that prevents them from lying on their back or face down on the table.

energy work: This involves many different massage modalities. It comes from Eastern medicine and the belief that there is more to the human body than what can be physically seen. Most of these modalities date back thousands of years. Western cultures and medicine are just beginning to realize that energy work is real, albeit inexplicable.

Different styles for different people

effleurage: A gliding motion used by massage therapists. This is typically used at the beginning and end of the massage. Its purpose is to warm the tissues providing greater circulation.

Kneading: A kneading stroke used by masseuses. This movement is designed to lift and knead tissues. It helps eliminate metabolic waste that has accumulated in muscle tissue. It also helps attract new blood to the tissues.

Friction: Also known as cross-fiber friction. This stroke is most commonly used by therapists’ fingers or thumbs. The therapist will sink their fingers into the muscle and then quickly move them back and forth across the muscle. This helps break up the tight knots that have built up in the muscle tissue.

nervous shocks: This is a form of effleurage that involves a light touch. It is usually done in a way that is both light in touch and quick in movement. Its purpose is to stimulate the area after having been worked with other methods.

touching: This is what you’ve seen in the movies. The boxer lying on the table while a big burly guy appears to be punching the boxer’s back. There are actually many forms of tapping, from light finger tapping to heavy hitting. It is generally used at the end of a massage session and helps to stimulate the tissues.

Peel: This is a movement used by a massage therapist that is designed to help lengthen a muscle. Typically, the therapist uses their thumbs and, while applying pressure, glides the full length of the muscle being worked.

all knotted

There are different terms for different conditions of a muscle. These can vary greatly and mean different things to different people. You may hear your therapist say “That’s a rope knot.” What he may be referring to is a long, tight muscle band. Two forms of knots that have definite meanings are trigger points and tender points.

trigger points: There are several types of trigger points; active, latent, primary and satellite. For the purposes of this article, we will simply call them trigger points. Basically, a trigger point is a knot in the belly of a muscle that, when pressed, refers pain to a specific point in the body. Trigger points are knots that are in a constant state of contraction. Normal massage movements will not “release” a trigger point. A massage therapist has to use direct pressure on the trigger point to interrupt the nerve impulse that is causing the muscle contraction.

tender points They are similar to trigger points except that a tender point does not report pain when pressure is applied. The method for releasing a sore spot is also different. The therapist should place the muscle in a state of passive contraction until the tender point relaxes and dissipates.

Some miscellaneous terms

fascia: is a layer of connective tissue. Fascia is found throughout the human body. Think of it like a nylon stocking that wraps around your entire body. This is what helps keep everything in place.

tendons: These connect muscle to bone.

ligaments: These connect bones to bones.

draped: A technique used to cover up a client in order to protect the clients’ modesty.

cover: The material used for the drape, this can be a sheet, pillowcase, towel, etc.

Facial Cradle – The area where a client rests their face on a massage table.

Beef up: Cushion specifically designed to help the client’s comfort while lying on the massage table.

Lotion, Oil, Gel: The lubricant used to help the therapist give a massage.

Prone: This is the prone position when a client is on the massage table.

Supine: This is the face up position when a client is on the massage table.

As stated above, this is not a definitive list of massage terminology. These are some of the more common terms used by most massage therapists. The next time your massage therapist uses any of these terms; you’ll know what he’s talking about. You can be proud that the power of educating yourself paid off!