Effleurage uses light gliding or sliding strokes over the skin and can be used at the beginning, end or in-between other techniques to keep the smooth flow of one stroke to another and maintain relaxation. Power effleurage uses firm and deeper strokes.

Effleurage stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, will help to dull or reduce pain and to warm up the tissues. Using strokes towards the heart improves arterial circulation and venous return back to the heart encouraging improved delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the cells.

As the body relaxes it stimulates the production of feel good hormones such as endorphins and serotonin and the client is left with a general sense of well-being.

Petrissage, from the French word petrir, means to knead. Movements that apply to petrissage include, kneading, squeezing, wringing, rolling and lifting.

By separating tissue and loosening adhesions, petrissage improves the condition and flexibility of the tissues by creating movement between the fibres making them more pliable. With the reduction of restriction within the muscle, pain will be decreased and relaxation encouraged. Improved vasodilation will bring blood flow to the surface of the skin and carry excess fluid away from the tissues being worked on.

Once the tissues have been properly warmed, then deeper strokes using slow movements to help separate the tissue fascia and break down adhesions can be used using heel of the palm, reinforced thumbs, fists/knuckles, forearm and elbow.

Compression is commonly used at sporting events as it can be performed through clothing or a towel.

As the tissues are compressed with this technique, arterial circulation is increased and cellular metabolism encouraged. Compression will also have an effect on nerve transmitters, as pressure is put on the nerves this will help to decrease pain. This technique is also used to deactivate hypertonic muscles and muscle spasms and reduce tension within the muscles.

Vibration can be used to stimulate nerve activity, relax the muscles and decrease pain. It uses quick shaky movements that should match or exceed the rate of nerve impulses to the muscles.

After using vibration for a few minutes, the effects of relaxation take place and sensitivity to pain decreases. The circulatory system is stimulated to improve blood circulation. The gentle vibrations can stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system to relax and also loosen muscles to decrease muscle hypertonicity.

Tapotement involves rhythmic percussion strokes using fingers, loosely held fists or cupped hands over fleshy areas of the body.

The different techniques in tapotement are used to stimulate and enhance muscle tone by stimulating the nerve endings. This results in enhanced muscle contraction. Tapotement relaxes hypertonic muscles, stimulates overactive muscles and can be used for alertness at the end of a treatment. Clients with cystic fibrosis or respiratory problems can receive tapotement, such as cupping, to help break up excessive fluid congestion in the chest.

Friction is primarily used to break up fascial adhesions and scar tissue and to separate the muscle fibres.

By rubbing two surfaces together to generate heat, an increase in circulation occurs which will optimize repair and healing to the injured tissues. By increasing the temperature to the tissues, they can be easily manipulated and stretched to loosen tight muscles and so that the realignment of the collagen fibre can take place.

Trigger points are areas of exquisite tenderness or pain within a taut band of muscle. When compressed by the therapist this area is painful and can refer pain in a predictable pattern or cause autonomic phenomena.

Trigger points can sometimes be referred to as “knots” and although they are not “knots” they can often feel like knots or fibrous hard nodules on palpation. This is due to the sliding filaments of the muscle becoming stuck and unable to release causing small areas of tightly contracted muscle. These areas of tenderness can be relieved or deactivated at One Massage Therapy by applying pressure and through stretching.

Active trigger points produce current pain and are always tender. Latent trigger points will be painful when compressed but will not be producing current pain. Pain from trigger points can often cause pain in other parts of the body far-away from the actual trigger point which is known as referred pain. For example, a trigger point in one of the neck muscles may cause headaches or pain in the jaw. A pain in the hip may be caused by touching a trigger point in the lower back.

Trigger point therapy aims to reduce pain by relieving constricted areas in the muscles and helps to regain mobility. Although it is not a relaxing technique it has marvellous results.

By asking the client to use some degree of muscular energy, muscle energy technique (MET) is focussed on improving range of motion, muscle relaxation and reducing muscle tone.

Benefits of MET include:
Aiding the realignment of muscle fibres
Restoring proprioception within muscles
Lengthening short or tight muscle fibers
Strengthening a weak muscle or group of muscles
Reducing muscle hypertonicity

MET involves the client using their own muscle energy via voluntary contraction of their muscles in a precise and controlled direction against a particular counterforce provided by the sports massage therapist in order for a physiological effect to occur.

Soft tissue release (STR) is an advanced sports massage technique that is used to assist stretching of muscles fibres, tendons and fascia. The primary principle of its use is to change the quality of the tissue or to normalise the tissue by changing the environment of the tissue by using compression and shearing.

STR can be used to relieve chronic tissue congestions, mobilise adhesive tissues, improve the elasticity of the connective tissues and encourages normalisation of fibre length. It is good to use on muscles that are difficult to stretch and also for isolating muscles within a group of muscles.

By changing the environment of the tissue, any tissue that was stuck or immoveable becomes smooth and glides. In this way, the tissue can move better and is able to absorb better (ie nutrients) and becomes rehydrated encouraging oxygen to return.

The technique involves the therapist locking into a muscle to create a temporary false attachment site before taking the muscle into a pain-free stretch.

Good stretching is an integral part of massage therapy and can deliver excellent results in the rehabilitation of chronic pain conditions. An effective stretching protocol increases flexibility and range of movement in athletes but also produces a feeling of well-being for everyone.

Amma fusion massage is a combination of Eastern massage techniques using the pathways of energy or meridians through the firm gentle pressure of hands.

Amma fusion techniques are normally used at the very beginning of a massage treatment and it is a great way to start a treatment. By palming or using the thumbs down the back along the bladder channel, this technique can help loosen the musculature and release stagnant qi. Working along the bladder channel improves blood circulation and organ function.

Myofascial release techniques are gentle hands-on techniques that aim to soften connective tissue and restore mobility in the fascia. Skin rolling and cross hand stretches aim to stretch subcutaneous fascia and release restrictions within the layers of fascia. It is a slow technique but has remarkable results.

Fascia is the tough connective tissue that connects the skin, muscles, veins, organs, nerves and bones and is what holds us together. It has been described as a type of 3D body stocking enveloping every structure in the body. If there is a restriction in one part of the fascia then pain may be felt in another part of the body. Myofascia relates to the fascia that separates and contains every muscle in the body.

Myofascial release helps to rehydrate the connective tissue which in turn hydrates the muscles, tendons and ligaments.

A hot stone massage using smooth volcanic stones starts with the stones being immersed in hot water in a stone heater until they are a precise temperature.  The therapist then massages specific parts of the body holding the stones and also by placing them on different areas of the body.

The heat of the stones allows the muscles to warm and relax and enables the massage therapist to apply deeper pressure.

Cold stones can be used by athletes or anyone who has sustained injuries or just by those seeking an invigorating massage.  The use of cold stones causes the blood vessels to constrict in the body to help alleviate swelling and reduce pain in the the tissues.