The massage technique known as “Effleurage” is one of the most common and easy to learn and perform. However, it must be mastered to be used to great effect because it is so much more than just gently gliding your hands along skin and muscle.
Effleurage Techniques are applied in almost all areas of massage therapy and treatment, and for this brief discussion we will look specifically at how it is used to massage the arm. Effleurage uses gliding movements that are somewhat circular in nature and that demand that the masseuse or massage therapist never break physical contact with the recipient. The goal of the process is to slowly warm up the muscles and stimulate blood flow, and also to prepare the larger muscles for deeper massage work. Effleurage also asks that the movements always use the most pressure when directed towards the heart, and this is one way to get the best overall effects.
To begin, the receiver can be placed on their back with their arms and legs comfortably extended. The use of massage oil during any type of Effleurage is essential, and the dispersion of the oil is usually the first step of the massage. All Effleurage Techniques are geared towards covering as much area as possible in one movement, and as far as the arm is concerned, this is an easy thing to do.
The provider stands to the side of the recipient with hands along the front and back of the wrist. With steady movements, the hands should slide up the arm and over the top of the shoulder and back down to the wrist. This should occur at least six times, and then the arm can be raised to a forty-five degree angle and the provider can begin using sliding movements along the upper arm increasing pressure with each movement. The arm is supported with the free hand, and this is reversed when the back of the arm is massaged in the same way. The process is repeated on the other arm and the massage is performed.
Continuous contact and targeted pressure are essential for the successful use of Effleurage on the arms. Any discomfort should be treated immediately, and pressure reduction is often the easiest solution.
