Friction In Swedish Massage

The word friction comes from a Latin word that means to rub. This stroke is the next step in table massage after petrissage. It is also known as compression because you push down and squeeze the tissue together.

This type of stroke includes superficial warming, deep compression, chucking wringing, rolling, cross-fiber, and circular.

You can lightly slide your hands back and forth across the client's skin to warm it for superficial warming. The skin reddens as new blood flows into the skin.

Cross-fiber is moving your fingers or the heels of your hands across the pattern of fibers on the muscles, perpendicular to them. Cross-fiber is great for treating muscle injuries. It is important to know what direction the muscle fibers run prior to using this technique. Anatomy is so important to know in massage therapy.

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