Petrissage

Petrissage is a deep massage technique that involves kneading, rolling, lifting, and squeezing of soft tissues and muscles, commonly performed by massage therapists to target deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue. Its main purpose is to manipulate, stretch, and mobilize muscle fibers, often relieving muscle tension, breaking up adhesions, and increasing circulation and flexibility.

Key Features

• Movements include kneading, wringing, skin rolling, and picking up and squeezing the tissues, performed with the palms, fingers, or thumbs.

• The pressure is usually more intense and focused than lighter techniques like effleurage, allowing deeper access to muscle layers.

• Petrissage is applied in a rhythmic and methodical manner, which leads to profound relaxation and release of muscle knots.

Purposes and Benefits

• The technique helps free up movement in tissues and muscles, breaks up thickened areas of connective tissue (adhesions) after injury or surgery, and alleviates muscle spasms.

• Petrissage can increase blood flow, temperature, and capillarization, which help relax the muscles and promote tissue healing.

• It enhances lymphatic drainage, effectively removing toxins and waste products and reducing swelling.

• It relieves both physical tension and psychological stress through repeated deep pressure and rhythmic manipulation.

Typical Use in Massage Sessions

• Massage therapists use petrissage after warming up the tissues with gentler strokes like effleurage, typically to address specific areas of tightness or muscle knots.

• It is a key component of therapeutic massage, especially Swedish massage, and is applied across various body areas including the back, neck, shoulders, arms, and legs.

In summary, petrissage is a vital massage technique for deep tissue manipulation, relaxation, and relief of chronic muscle tension, making it essential in both medical and relaxation-focused massage sessions.