Here is our jargon buster for some terms used in massage:
Petrissage
Aa squeezing movement applied across the muscle fibres. Also called kneading, wringing or rolling, it helps to break up knots and tension spots.
Friction
Aa variation of petrissage, friction stokes use the thumbs and fingers to apply small circular motions
Percussion
Also known as tapotement or hacking, uses the sides of the hands to strike repeatedly onto the muscle. Can be either relaxing or stimulating depending on the pressure used.
Effleurage
Uses both hands to apply long, gliding strokes that follow the direction of the muscle fibres
