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SWEDISH MASSAGE
BACK
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SWEDISH MASSAGE
BACK
INTRODUCTION
Swedish massage is the fundamental and the most popular
massage technique for relaxation. However, it goes beyond
mere relaxation. The strokes are directed to help improve
circulation and lymphatic flow, relief from pain and help
enhance sleeping pattern. The method is basically done by
rubbing and kneading the muscles with long, gentle and
gliding strokes in accordance with the direction of blood
flow to the heart.
This guide will walk you through the basic structure on
how to do a Swedish Massage on the Back. You will learn
the fundamental strokes, body mechanics, draping,
grounding, intention and table set up in an easy, step-by-
step process.
Let’s jump right in, shall we?
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STEP 1
THE SACRAL PUSH
Give a traction down the spine and push into
the sacrum for 30 seconds.
*Align with the sacrum, the kind of like a triangle bone
of the posterior poleis.
*This provides a gentle lengthening feel to the area.
*The pressure is about 1-5 pounds. A lot of people really
love a lot of pressure in this area, so communicate with
your client.
*Aim straight and don't push down into the table nor
push upwards.
*Support your own body. Position yourself so you are
completely balanced and won't fall over. You can
position yourself in an Archer's Stunts.
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STEP 2
THE DRAPING
Expose the back.
Place your hand over the sacrum.
Take the sheet and fold it back over your
hand.
*Some female clients get a little concerned about the
axilla part being opened so you can take a part of the
sheet to drape the exposed axilla area.
*Some people will actually take the sheet, roll the client
up and tuck it under the ASIS bone. But be mindful not
to become invasive.
*You could also take their arm and just put it above the
sheet and that hold it down too.
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STEP 3
THE EFFLEURAGE
Get some lotion out and warm it out in your
hands.
*Make sure to keep in contact with your client. The
continual touch with your client is really important in
terms of continuity; they know where you are at all
times. Sometimes, if you'd break that contact, it
breaks that sense of well-being or comfort.
*Never sacrifice your body mechanics. If you need to re-
position yourself, go ahead and then reestablish your
contact.
Do 3 effleurage strokes at the back and 3
nerve strokes.
*Don't put pressure on the spinous processes. Be on the
Erector Spinae Group and the rounded group of
muscles just lateral to either side of the spine.
*Continue your thumbs gently up into the neck to the
base of the occiput.
*If you are not long enough to position your one hand on
one side of the spine and the other hand on the side
closest to your, do one side at a time.
*Keep your hands up, especially on a female clients
above the axillar especially where the brassiere.
*Keep your hands up, especially on a female clients
above the axillar especially where the brassiere.
*Pay attention not to drag the sheet down so you don't
expose your client. Always monitor the sheet.
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Do 3 half-moon effleurage strokes around the
scapula.
With the pads of your fingers, trace a half-
moon pattern in the inferior angle of the
scapula, in the medial borders.
*To continue doing the stroke without hurting your wrist,
go around and continue up to the trapezius and back up
into the neck.
*When you push into the occiput, don't push the head
into the face piece.
STEP 4
THE PETRISSAGE
Petrissage between the scapula and the
spine on the vertebral side and along the top
and the Trapezius Levator Scapula region.
*Keep your fingers spread out to help stabilize yourself.
*If your thumbs get really sore, you can use your fingers.
*You could use your elbows but it should be the last
resort. You have to be very careful and in control with
your elbows.
*Work on the upper Erector Spinae Group, getting up
into Longissimus. Also on the Illicostalis and Spinalis
muscles, getting up into the Trapzius Levator Scapula.
*Make sure not to choke the neck.
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STEP 5
THE HAND OVER HAND
Position yourself accross your client's body.
Do hand-over-hand massage
*Use the heel of your palm to contact the skin and grasp
it with your other hand.
*The hand contacting the skin is used basically as a tool
and the hand guides and directs it.
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*It looks like you are grabbing in there tight but actually
it's very loose. Try to relax your fingers.
*It is kinda like the old cabbage patch dance where you
kind of rotate your hips around and do the cabbage
patch.
*Compress into the heel of your right hand and kind of
rotate the tissue.
*Do not bend over and just let your hands do the
motion. It'll be painful on your back.
*Spread your legs, roll down your shoulders, relax and
let your legs do the motion.
*Do not push on the spinous processes. Just roll on the
group of muscles away from the spine.
*Work your way up and do side-stepping to get further
up.
*Do not collapse your shoulders rounding forward. It is
going to be really hard on your rotator cuff.
*Let your rhomboid muscles retract your scapula and
keep it anchored on to the thoracic region of the body.
It will be a lot more safer and prevents any damage to
your rotator cuff and SITS muscles.
*Work up the Erector Spinae and back down.
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STEP 6
THE SIDE PULLS
Put some lotion on your forearms.
Do the side pulls.
*You can do the hand-over-hand and the side pulls on
one side before walking to the other side so you'll be
more efficient with your time.
*Do not come across the spinous processes.
*Do not stick your fingers down the axilla region so
won't become invasive.
*Do it really slowly. Rack back on your right leg for your
right hand, pull that right hand back, rack back on your
left leg with your left arm, then pull your left hand back
right back on top of your right.
*Let your legs do the work for you.
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*Keep your head in a neutral position.
*Work up and back down and do the same thing on the
other side.
STEP 7
THE SKIN SLIDE
Do the skin slide.
Put your thumb on one side of the spine,
index finger on the other side and put
your hand over the top of your other hand for
added pressure.
Go right up into the neck, gently grasp it and
gently vibrate down.
*Create a little space in your palm for the
spinous processes.
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*Do not try to push down, use your other hand as more
of a control guide.
Get up right between the scaps and go over
to one shoulder.
Gentle squeeze into the trapezius and vibrate
down.
Go right up to the other side of the neck,
gently sqeeze it and vibrate back down.
*Do it 9 times - 3 in each spot; to the neck, then left
shoulder then to the right shoulder.
STEP 8
THE BELT-LINE PETRISSAGE
Position yourself at the side of the ileum that
you are working on.
*Don't go across the other side. When you're on the right
side, your pressure can go right into the bone and into
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the tissue.
Roll your thumbs and work along the iliac
crest.
Step on the other side of the head and do the
same thing.
STEP 9
THE HEART STROKE
Go down the middle of the spine and when
you get to the ileum, flare your hands out
following the ileum.
Move your hands back together again to the
middle of the spine and go up to where the
ribs start.
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Spread your hands towards the scapula
and follow the contours of the body and then
come up into the neck.
*Don't slide your fingers under the sheet. Stay where you
can see your fingers.
*Follow the contours, how it curves out.
*Stay behind and line up your joints.
STEP 10
THE SWIM STROKE
Put some lotion on your forearms.
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Do the swim stroke.
*Swim stroke is basically a double side pull.
Position yourself on the shoulder part of your
client's body.
Cross your fingers in an oppotiste
direction, pushing the tissue away from the
spine.
Come back towards the spine and when
your hands get to the spine, reverse that your
hands are now separated, pushing away
from the spine.
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*Work your way up the back.
*If you have shorter arms and a female, avoid resting
your breasts on your client's back.
*If you're not long enough, do one side at a time in a
slanting movement.
*Be extra careful on the side of the axilla, even on male
clients. You don't wanna have your client engage and
protect, because they're feeling unsafer and
unsure about what you're gonna do and it's ticklish.
*Never push on the spine.
Move your way back down.
STEP 11
THE FINALE HEART STROKE
Do 3 heart strokes.
*Refer to Step 9.
STEP 12
THE FINALE EFFLEURAGE
Do 3 effleurage strokes.
*If you are not long enough, do one side at a time.
Do 3 nerve strokes.
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STEP 13
THE RE-DRAPING
Grab the sheet on the side and cover your
client back.
*Do not grab at the middle part to avoid becoming
invasive.
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The Swedish Massage video is to show a basic
structure on how to do a full body Swedish
Massage along with tips on draping, body
mechanics, table set up, grounding and
intention.
WATCH THE FULL VIDEO
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