Massage Styles: Russian Massage - Part 2

Welcome to part 2 of my post on Russian Sports massage, getting more into theory and technique.  As I mentioned in Part 1, Russian massage is a system of specialized and highly developed massage strokes that each have a specific purpose in affecting the central nervous system, skin, muscles, joints, and tendons and ligaments.

In this massage, the body is worked in segments. For instance, the back is worked separately on the left or right side, then the other side. The arms are worked from the forearm first, then the upper arm, and legs are worked from the lower leg, upper leg, then glutes (buttocks). All strokes are done on one segment before moving on to the next, and strokes usually begin at one joint and end at the next without crossing over.

Most of the strokes used are similar to Swedish massage, with one addition and with specific hand positions depending on what segment is being worked on (for instance, the back, the legs, the arms, and on the sides between ribs all have different hand placements). Read on to find a list of each stroke, its purpose, how it affects the body, and what makes it different from its Swedish counterpart.

• Effleurage- This stroke is generally the first stroke to be used on a body segment. It is a slow and light stroke always done toward the heart that prepares the muscles for the rest of the strokes and allows the therapist to spread their lotion/oil. 
• It is meant as a sedative (relaxing) stroke and does this by reducing the activity of the Central Nervous System (CNS). Since it is so light, it is only meant to affect the skin and very superficial blood vessels.
• Swedish effleurage is also meant to be sedating as well as to make connecting strokes that can be done all the way from the ankle to the hips, or from the wrist to the upper back, and the pressure can vary from light to firm.
• This stroke can be stimulating by increasing or varying the speed and pressure.

• Wringing- Similar to but deeper than effleurage, this gliding (glides across the skin) stroke is very slow and works superficial to deep muscles. The therapist should go as deep as they are able without causing pain.
• This stroke is stimulating to the CNS which increases muscle tone and reduces fatigue. It reduces swelling by moving blood and lymph fluid and decreases pain associated with swelling.
• This is not considered as one of the basic strokes in Swedish massage. Instead, it is grouped with effleurage. 
• If done long enough with constant speed and pressure, this stroke can become sedating.

• Petrissage- This is a non-gliding stroke that uses pulling and pressing to work on muscles. The majority of the massage will be using this stroke.
•  Stimulating to the CNS and works on the muscle to increase blood flow, size/strength/stamina of muscle, and decreases fatigue. The therapist uses light to medium pressure for pulling strokes and medium to deep pressure for pressing strokes.
• This stroke is exactly the same as the Swedish version except for the hand positions and a slightly faster speed.
• If constant speed and pressure are used, this stroke can become sedating.

• Friction- A gliding stroke that folds and stretches skin and soft tissue in different directions (think of a nicer version of an "Indian rug burn".)
• The only stroke that goes in all different directions instead of toward the heart only, this sedative stroke creates a lot of heat by increasing blood flow which speeds up metabolism. It also increases joint strength and flexibility of skin, muscles, tendons and ligaments while decreasing chronic pain, scar tissue, and muscle spasm.
• The only difference between Russian friction and Swedish friction are hand positions and that Swedish friction can be both gliding and non-gliding; Russian friction is always gliding.
• It's difficult to make this stroke stimulating. Usually it's done by combining friction with other strokes.

• Vibration- At 200-300 movements per minute, this is the fastest stroke that performs fine or course rhythmic movements (either horizontal or vertical) of a muscle, muscle group, or body segment.
• Vibration is mainly a rehabilitative stroke. It's sedative to the nervous system but stimulating to the muscular system by creating very fast contraction and relaxation of the muscles to help repair strains (muscle tears). It helps rebuild muscle reflexes, can affect internal organs if done long enough, and can even increase the production of bone calluses to speed up the healing process of a broken bone (read more about bone healing here.)
• Swedish vibration is usually done for a shorter time than Russian vibration and the movements are not as fast or constant, making it more stimulating whereas the Russian style is meant to be sedative. Russian vibration should also always be manual, not mechanical.
• See above.

• Percussion- Similar to vibration in making fast movements to the body, but the difference is that there is not constant contact with the body. Instead, it makes tapping or striking movements.
• This stroke is usually very stimulating to the nervous system. It increases muscle and skin tone, nerve signal strength, and blood flow. When used with wringing, it is very effective in regaining muscle strength after disuse from an injury.
• The same as a Swedish style massage except for hand placements.
• This stroke is easy to make sedating when constant speed and pressure are used, and the only stroke that is often meant to be used as both stimulating and sedating.

• Joint Movements- Joint movements are done to measure the range of motion in joints before and after a massage. 
• If a joint is not moving enough, the therapist can focus on flexibility in that area to increase performance.
• If a joint is moving too much, the therapist can focus on muscle tone and strength to prevent injury.
• Joint movements can be done when recovering from injury to prevent stiffness and loss of movement.

 After reading about all of these strokes, you can see how a Russian massage can accomplish many different goals. If a client wants a relaxing massage, the therapist will usually follow the same order of strokes as they are listed and make them mostly sedating strokes. If a client wants increased energy for their day or an upcoming sporting event, the therapist can modify the strokes to be stimulating.

I will typically give people a relaxing Russian massage and do very stimulating strokes for the last few minutes so my clients will be relaxed during the massage but feel refreshed afterwords so they don't go about their day feeling half-asleep. This massage is fun to give, versatile in the effects it causes and the people it can help, and has so much fascinating scientific research and history behind it. I hope everyone reading has to opportunity to receive it and fall in love with it like I have!

Massage Styles: Russian Massage - Part 1

Welcome to post #6 in my series of different types of massages. If you have a specific style you'd like to see covered or have a question about any style I cover, feel free to leave a comment and I will address it for you!

Since Russian massage is what I consider to be my main specialty, I feel that I would like to present more in-depth information on it - history as well as a description of how it works. In part 1 I'd like to recap the details of how Russian massage developed. I find it to be quite fascinating in conjunction with the history of Russia itself. I hope you do as well!

Russian massage is a series of specialized and highly developed massage strokes that have been researched and used in Russia as early as the 1800s. Massage was first used at the Navy Medical Academy in St. Petersburg for the recovery of warfare wounds and has since become mandatory training for physicians and nurses to aid their patients.

Not until 1882 did a Russian physician named Zabludovsky even start using massage on healthy people to prevent them from being patients. At the time, everyone thought it was a silly idea that massage should be used on people who are not sick. Zabludovsky was ostracized and moved to Germany to do more studies on the effects of massage. After combining sports massage with regular massage, he created the title of "Russian Massage."

In the early 1900s, Russia started integrating massage into their medical schools and began a lot of research on massage. In 1944, the Research Institute of Physical Education started to develop new strokes and specific protocols based on this research that were designed to give very specific results with muscle rehabilitation. This research enabled therapists to know exactly what the affects and outcome of a massage would be.

Massage is now considered a scientific practice in Russia and is required for every coach, physician, nurse, trainer, and physiotherapist (physical therapist) as part of their training and has been integrated into the medical field, working hand-in-hand with traditional medicine.

Massage Styles: Sports Massage

Welcome to post #5 in my series of different types of massages. If you have a specific style you'd like to see covered or have a question about any style I cover, feel free to leave a comment and I will address it for you!


When the term 'Sports Massage' is heard, people think of a very technical form of bodywork saved for elite athletes or Olympians. That's not entirely true- by definition Sports massage is the science of applying soft tissue manipulation to increase athletic performance and speed the recovery process from injury, so you can see it's not just for professional athletes.

A History
Although forms of massage and bodywork have been around for over 5,000 years, recordings have shown athletes in the first Olympics in Greece using bodywork to help them prepare for- and recover from- events. Sports massage gained popularity in America after the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich. A Finnish runner named Lasse Viren (the 'Flying Finn') set a world record time in the 10k and it was discovered that he received daily massages to help his performance. Runners in the U.S. were immediately interested in using Sports massage in their own training, and pretty soon massage became a part of Olympic teams, professional and college teams, and many other marathons and sporting events.

Different types of Sports massage
Sports massage is broken down into two basic categories- Event massage and Maintenance massage. Event massage is used to assist the athlete prepare for competition, prevent potential injury, and recover from heavy exertion. Event massage can be done before, during, and after an event.

• Pre-event: assists a normal warm-up routine by increasing blood flow and literally warming up the muscles using basic massage strokes, range of motion, stretching, and joint mobilization. It can be non-specific (focusing on the entire body) or very specific (focusing on areas that are used during their sport.) Lasts 10-20 minutes and is fast-paced.
  
• Inter-event: used during or between events. Techniques used should focus on increasing blood flow to help with muscle fatigue and cramping. Lasts 5-15 minutes and is fairly gentle- no deep work is done.
  
• Post-event: usually done within 4 hours after the event for the greatest benefit. Focus is on assisting in recovery. This can also help identify any potential problems or injuries before they get worse and bring an early end to an athlete's season/career. A cool-down routine should be done to allow the body to relax before the massage or else the body can perceive it as a continuation of the workout. Techniques for relaxation are used and first aid such as ice, if needed. Lasts 10-20 minutes if done immediately after event, up to 30-90 minutes if done over an hour after event. Light to medium pressure.
  

Maintenance massage
This is routine maintenance performed on an athlete. It can also be referred to as rehabilitative or restorative massage. The focus of maintenance massage is helping the athlete maintain optimum performance. This could include recovering from injury, returning to pre-injury health, preventing further injury, and reducing pain and dysfunction. The goals of each session are dependent on the athlete's total health, the sport they compete in, and the time during the season. This massage typically lasts from 30-90 minutes and is moderate to firm pressure.

Sports massage is a much-needed type of therapy in this area with the Utah Summer Games, St. George Marathon, St. George Ironman, Huntsman Senior Games, and all the outdoor activities there are to enjoy. If you're looking for a way to increase your performance, gain a competitive edge, or recover or prevent an injury, I highly recommend finding a massage therapist who can do Sports massage.