Top 25 Terms All Massage Students Should Know
The following are considered by many to be the top 25 terms all massage students should know, in no particular order:
1. Western Massage: American and European massage techniques.
2. Swedish Massage: Health clubs, resorts and spas often use this style of relaxing massage that includes five different strokes.
3. Esalen Massage: A type of Swedish massage that connects one’s inner self with others’ inner selves.
4. Deep Friction: The movement of the skin over tissues underneath rather than simply over the skin.
5. Deep Tissue Massage: The use of the hand, several fingers or one finger or thumb to massage deeply.
6. Direct Pressure: Using the elbow, finger or thumb to compress tissues with applied force.
7. Pregnancy Massage: Meeting the needs of pregnant women, including pain relief through bodywork and massage.
8. Sports Massage: Increasing the health, performance and wellbeing of athletes through massage.
9. Clinical Massage Therapy: The use of massage for the treatment of medical pathologies.
10. Myofascial Massage: Restoring mobility and softening rigid connective tissue in the face with massage.
11. Neuromuscular Therapy: The deactivation of myofascial triggers using massage.
12. Asian Bodywork: Massage therapy students usually learn these therapies that focus on traditional Asian medicine.
13. Shiatsu: Japanese technique used to balance energy flow.
14. Thai Massage: Assisted or passive yoga that loosens and stretches the body.
15. Thermal Therapy: Cold or hot applied for therapeutic purposes.
16. Tui Na: Chinese massage that focuses on kneading, pushing and stretching.
17. Zen Shiatsu: Japanese-born Shizuto Masunaga developed this style of Asian bodywork.
18. Zhi Ya: Chinese massage that focuses on acupressure.
19. Ayurvedic Massage: Influenced by Indian health and disease theories, this is a type of soft tissue manipulation.
20. Lomilomi: Healing massage therapy from ancient Hawaiian cultures.
21. Reflexology: Relieving pain in specific body parts by applying pressure in the corresponding zones of the hands or feet.
22. Cryotherapy: Using cold substances to achieve therapeutic goals.
23. Stone Massage: Cold or hot stones used to massage the body.
24. Hydrotherapy: The therapeutic use of water.
25. Polarity Therapy: Balancing life energy and aiding in relaxation through gentle rocking and touch.
