The most common form of massage practiced and most therapists will use it in some form throughout their careers. It is used as the primary modality for Relaxation Massage and with some minor changes, Sports Massage. The basic premise of Swedish is to assist venous return while flushing the tissues. Most strokes are performed in a centripetal direction, toward the heart, to positively affect the circulatory and lymphatic systems. The strokes used can be categorized into Effleurage, Petrissage, Friction and Tapotement with Jostling and Vibration used as well.
Effleurage simply means long and flowing.
These are generally the first strokes used and serve to warm the tissue before any specific, deep work is done while giving the therapist invaluable information as to the condition of the area and how to best proceed. Effleurage can be done using light pressure to affect the skin and more superficial layers of muscle and fascia or with more pressure to penetrate to the deeper muscles and connective tissue layers. Petrissage is performed on the bellies of the muscles and increases circulation through its milking action. It is characterized by gentle kneading done with the palm of the hand. Friction can be used in the direction of the muscle fibers, across the muscle fibers or in small circles.