Here are some common massage therapy terms explained as massage therapy has its own vocabulary.
- masseuse/masseur: outdated terms harkening back to the days of old where massage was practiced by not-so-professional people doing not-so-professional things. The accepted term for a person who is a professional is “massage therapist”.
- Trigger point therapy: Apply concentrated finger pressures to “trigger points” (painful irritated areas in muscles, also called “knots”) to break cycles of spasm and pain;
- Acupressure: Traditional Chinese medicine-based systems of “meridians” (invisible channels of energy flow in the body). Massage therapists apply pressure to specific points throughout the body to promote healing.
- Reflexology Massage: based around a system of points in the hands, feet and ears thought to correspond, or “reflex,” to all areas of the body. The treatment uses a targeted, pressure-point massage to restore the flow of energy throughout the body.
- Therapeutic massage. A form of therapy usually not performed in a spa setting. Used to help alleviate specific pain and address deeper muscle issues. The therapist has an extensive knowledge of anatomy and physiology and uses that knowledge to make a plan that results in a more relaxed, less stressed and pain free client.
- Myofascial release: Myofascial pain syndrome is a chronic pain disorder caused by sensitivity and tightness in your myofascial tissues. Myofascial release is a form of bodywork that is manipulative in nature and seeks to rebalance the body by releasing tension and tightness in the fascia.
- Fascial system: A connective tissue sheath that spreads throughout the body.
- Bodywork: A general term that refers to various types of touch therapies.
- Cartilage: Flexible tissue that connects joints between bones such as the rib cage.
- Circulatory system: The system that promotes blood flow through the body via the heart and blood vessels.
- Ligaments: Connective tissue that connects bones or cartilages in a joint.
- Lymphatic drainage: Stimulation of the lymphatic systems and fluids to promote cleansing.
- Nervous system: The network of nerves that passes brain signals and impulses throughout the body.
- Soft tissue release: Applying pressure to relevant tissues while stretching aligning fibres.
- Tendons: Tough fibrous tissue that connects muscles to bones.