Acupressure
Acupressure is an ancient healing art that uses the fingers to press key points on the surface of the skin to stimulate the body’s natural self-healing. When these points are pressed, they release muscular tension and promote the circulation of blood and the body’s life force (sometimes known as qi or chi) to aid healing.
Acute
A condition that had abrupt onset, in reference to a disease is called acute. It often also connotes an illness of short duration, that is rapidly progressive and in need of urgent care.
Adductors
This is a muscle group on the medial thigh that attaches on the pubic bone, or anterior pelvis, and the femur, responsible for moving the leg and thigh medially.
Anterior
This term refers to any area pertaining to the front of the body.
Arthritis
Inflammation of a joint or joints. When joints are inflamed, they can develop stiffness, warmth, swelling, redness, and pain and may contraindicate massage. The most common form, osteoarthritis, is a result of normal wear and tear and frequently improves as a result of massage. Many of the other forms of arthritis are autoimmune and/or inflammatory in nature, and massage is contraindicated when inflammation is present or if increasing circulation to the area might exacerbate the condition.
Asian bodywork
This form of bod work focuses on monitoring the flow of the vital life energy (known as chi, ki, prana, or qi). Using physical pressure and manipulation, the practitioner evaluates and works with this energy flow to attain a state of balance. Popular modalities include shiatsu, amna, jin shin do, Thai, and tuina.
Ayurveda
The 5,000-year-old medical system of India is called Ayurveda. It is also a philosophy that offers a variety of practices, including massage, for creating harmony and balance in life.
Bodywork
Body work is a general term for practices involving touch and movement in which the giver uses manual techniques to promote the health of the receiver. Most healing massage techniques are considered forms of bodywork.
Chi
Chi is a person’s vital energy, also called qi in Asian bodywork.
Chronic
A condition that is long-standing, causing disability or discomfort for an extended period of time. The person may not even remember the injury or illness.
Clavicle
The clavicle, or the collarbone, a horizontal bone in the upper chest between the sternum and the scapula.
A compression is static, or stationary, pressure applied to an area of the body or a trigger point with the thumb, the heel of the hand, the fingertips, or sometimes the elbow. The pressure used is always within the receiver’s pain tolerance, and the length of time varies—usually until the pain dissipates. Communication with the receiver is essential during compression.
Contraindication
A contraindication is a condition that would limit the benefit of massage or would make a session more harmful than healthful. Contraindications include flare-ups of autoimmune disorders, fevers, colds, systemic infections, at-risk pregnancies, and compromised major bodily systems, such as the urinary, digestive, or circulatory system, since massage would put more of a strain on an already weakened system of the body.
Deltoids
These are the large muscles that cap the shoulders and attach midway down the humerus (upper arm bone), and perform all the actions the arm can make at the shoulder joint.
Dorsal
This term refers to any area pertaining to the back of the body and is frequently used to denote the backs of the hands or feet.
Draping
This is the use of sheets, towels, or other materials to cover receivers of massage to preserve their privacy and modesty and for warmth. In professional massage therapy, practice draping is mandated to ensure appropriate professional boundaries for sessions.
Effleurage
Effleurage is a Western massage therapy technique that includes movements which glide over the body with a smooth continuous motion.
Erector spinae
This is the band of muscles that parallels the vertebral column from the iliac crest to the base of the skull, and which is responsible for maintaining the upright position of the spine.
Essential oils
Natural substances extracted from botanical sources such as grasses, flowers, herbs, trees, and spices, usually through a process called steam distillation. Oils can soothe, relax, rejuvenate, sedate, energize, or alleviate pain, thereby affecting the body physically, energetically, and emotionally.
Exhalation
Exhalation is the act of expelling air from the lungs.
Foot zone therapy
Based on the premise that energy flows through the body in meridians from the brain to the feet. Every organ and cell has a representative point on the foot, and when pressure is applied, the brain sends a signal to that organ. Zone therapy is related closely to reflexology.
Friction
The deepest of Swedish massage strokes. Friction uses fairly deep, circular, or cross-fiber movements applied to soft tissue, causing the underlying layers of tissue to rub against each other. This causes an increase in blood flow to the massaged area and can realign or remodel tissue.
These are the muscles on the posterior and lateral pelvis which provide movement of the leg at the hip, with attachments on the ilium, sacrum, and trochanter.
Greater trochanter
This is a large, bony, lateral protuberance near the superior end of the femur, or upper leg bone, which forms the most lateral point of the hip.
Greater tubercle
This is a bony protuberance near the superior end of the humerus, or upper arm bone, which forms the most lateral point of the shoulder.
Hamstrings
Hamstrings are a group of muscles that attach to the sit bones (ischeal tuberosities) and cross the knee joint, with attachments on the tibia and fibula of the lower leg. These muscles flex the knee and extend the hip and are very prone to shortening, especially in athletic individuals. Having tight hamstrings can put strain on the lower back, so addressing these muscles with massage has effects on the thigh and back.
Hara
Hara is the source of health, vitality, and power and the physical center of the body. Bounded by the lower rib cage and the pelvic bowl, the hara includes all the vital organs of the body, with the exception of the heart and lungs, but even these have a reflexive, energetic presence here. In Chinese medicine, the hara is located about 1 inch (2.5 cm) below the navel and is considered to be the root of vital energy, regulating our physiological and spiritual well-being. It is seen as controlling the metabolism of the blood and organs, and producing the qi that flows along our meridians.
Healing
Healing is the process of regaining health or optimal functioning after an injury, disease, or other debilitating condition.
Hot stone
This is a massage technique used in conjunction with other modalities, in which warmed stones are placed on points, such as acupuncture points or chakras (energy centers), and are sometimes used as massage tools.
Iliac crest
This is the superior edge of the ilium, which arches from the sacrum posteriorly to the lateral hip.
Ilium
This is the large wing-like hip bone that attaches to the sacrum posteriorly, and includes the socket (the acetabulum) into which the head of the femur articulates to form the hip joint.
Inferior
Interior is a term that indicates that a place on the body is lower on the body than another place. For instance, the pelvis is inferior to the ribcage.
Inflammation
Inflammation is a basic way in which the body reacts to infection, irritation, or some other injury. The key features include redness, warmth, swelling, loss of function, and pain. Inflammation is a type of nonspecific immune response and is functional for healing in many cases.
Ingham Method
This is a form of zone therapy or reflexology. In the 1930s, Eunice Ingham, a physiotherapist, used zone therapy on patients. She mapped the entire body as reflex areas on the feet. Ingham first used this method to reduce pain, but then she enlarged the work into the Ingham Reflex Method of Compression Massage, later known as reflexology.
Also called inspiration, this is the intake of air into the lungs.
Joint mobilization
This is the act of moving a limb through its normal range of motion slowly and carefully, making sure you do not torque any joint by applying substantial pressure in any direction. Watch your partner’s face as you move an arm or leg, and do not take the limb farther if you see even a hint of a grimace as you move the limb.
Lateral
This is a relative positional term referring to a place on the body being farther away from the midline than another point. For example, the ears are lateral to the eyes.
Levator scapula
This is a shoulder and neck muscle that attaches to the cervical vertebrae and the lateral base of the skull, elevating the scapulas. This muscle lies in the immediate vicinity of the upper trapezius and with it forms an area that is tight and sore on almost all adults.
Lomi lomi
Lomi lomi is a system of massage that utilizes very large, broad movements. Two-handed, forearm, and elbow application of strokes cover a broad area. Similar to Swedish massage in many aspects, this system uses prayer and the acknowledgment of the existence of a higher power as an integral part of the technique. Lomi lomi—Hawaiian for rub rub—is described by teacher Aunty Margaret Machado as “the loving touch—a connection between heart, hand, and soul with the source of all life.”
Malleoli
This is a plural form of malleolis, or ankle bone. The medial malleolis is at the inferior end of the tibia, or larger lower leg bone, and the lateral malleolis is on the inferior end of the fibula, the smaller one. Malleoli is possibly the author’s favorite English word, so it just had to be in the glossary. Also, it is a bony landmark that defines the space at the back of the heel below which is an important acupressure and reflexology point.
Mandible
This is a lower jaw bone. The bottom teeth are embedded in the mandible, and the mandible is part of the temperomandibular joint (TMJ) which is a hinge in front of the ear that allows for opening and closing the mouth.
Massage and massage therapy
These are systems of structured palpation and movement of the soft tissues of the body. The massage system may include such techniques as stroking, kneading, gliding, percussion, friction, vibration, compression, and passive or active stretching within the normal anatomical range of movement. The purpose of the practice of massage is to enhance the general health and well-being of the receiver.
Masseter
This is one of the two primary muscles which close the jaw, located between the zygomatic arch (the cheekbone) and the inferior edge of the lateral mandible.
Medial
This is a relative term that denotes a place on the body that is closer to the body’s midline than another point. For example, the sacrum is medial to the hip.
This is the theory that meridians, or channels, make up a circuitry or giant web that delivers qi or life force energy to all of the organs and tissues of the body. This subtle energy system has been studied and treated in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for more than 5,000 years.
Occiput
This is the most posterior portion of the skull.
Occipital ridge
The most inferior portion of the occiput, where the back of the skull joins the top of the cervical spine (neck), is called the O.R.
Orbits
Orbits, or eye sockets, between the eyebrows at the base of the frontal bone of the skull, and the zygomatic arch (cheekbones).
Pain
Pain is any unpleasant sensation that can range from mild, localized discomfort to agony, with both physical and emotional components. Pain results from nerve stimulation, and may be isolated in an area or be more diffuse, as in disorders such as fibromyalgia.
Passive touch/contact hold
This is the practice of simply laying the fingers, one hand, or both hands on the receiver’s body. Passive touch may impart heat to an area, have a calming influence, or help balance energy. Contact holds are an example of passive touch, and serve to introduce touch to the body at the beginning of a massage, when moving to a different area of the body, and for making a gentle exit at the end of a massage or when completing massage on one area of the body.
Parasympathetic nervous system response
This is a part of the nervous system response that serves to slow the heart rate, increase intestinal and gland activity, and allow for rest, relaxation, healing, and renewal in the body. These are opposite responses of the sympathetic nervous system (which accelerates the heart rate, constricts blood vessels, and raises blood pressure), which is the “fight or flight” part of the system. Almost all bodywork modalities seek to enhance the parasympathetic response and lower sympathetic nervous system excitation.
Pectoralis
These are the strong upper chest muscles that attach from the clavicle and sternum to the humerus (pectoralis major), and perform various movements of the upper arm and shoulder girdle. Pectoralis minor has attachments on the ribs and assists with movements of the shoulder girdle and raises the ribs for inhalation.
Petrissage
Petrissage is a Western massage technique category that includes movements that lift, wring, or squeeze soft tissues in a kneading motion; or press or roll the soft tissues under or between the hands.
Pinnae
This is the external part of the ear; made of cartilage.
Polarity therapy
This therapy is based on universal principles of energy: attraction, repulsion, and neutrality. The interrelation of these principles forms the basis for every aspect of life, including our experience of health, wellness, and disease. With this understanding, polarity therapy addresses the interdependence of body, mind, and spirit. Founded by Austrian-born naturopath Dr. Randolph Stone in the mid-1950s, polarity therapy is a clothes-on, noninvasive system complementing existing modalities with an integrated, holistic model.
This is a position of the hands in which the palms are facing downward.
Prone
This is a position in which the entire body is lying face down.
Qi
Qi is the vital energy in a person, a construct of Asian bodywork. Qi is the energy that flows through the meridians of the body.
Quadriceps
These are the largest muscles of the thigh, which lie on the anterior, medial, and lateral sides of the thigh. They flex the hip and extend the knee, having an attachment immediately inferior to the patella, or kneecap.
Reflexology
This is a form of bodywork based on the theory of zone therapy, in which specific spots on the feet or hands are pressed to stimulate corresponding areas in other parts of the body. Reflexology is the practice of stimulating the hands and feet as a form of therapy. It has been observed that congestion or tension in any part of the foot mirrors congestion or tension in a corresponding part of the body.
Rocking
Rocking is the manipulation of a body part or parts with gentle or vigorous, rhythmic movements. It ends with the body part’s return to its original position. Rocking reflexively relaxes tight muscles. Rocking is often used to treat joint problems, osteoarthritis, and tight muscles.
Sacrum
The Sacrum refers to the four or five fused vertebrae inferior to the lumbar spine; a hand-size bone that forms the posterior portion of the pelvis, and to which the ilia (bones of the ilium) attach laterally.
Scapula
The Scapula, or the shoulder blade, is located on the upper back, lateral to the vertebral column.
Shaking
Shaking is a movement performed by grasping either the muscle belly, for direct shaking, or the limb farthest away from the body, for indirect shaking. The tissue is then moved back and forth at an even rhythm—from gentle to vigorous. Shaking assists in increasing range of motion in a joint. It can be performed at the beginning, middle, or end of a massage and affects the sensory nerves in the muscles and joints, reducing muscle tightness.
Shiatsu
Shiatsu is a finger-pressure technique, developed in Japan, which utilizes traditional acupuncture points. Similar to acupressure, shiatsu concentrates on unblocking the flow of life energy and restoring balance in the meridians and organs to promote self-healing. With the receiver reclining, the giver applies pressure with the finger, thumb, palm, elbow, or knee to specific zones on the skin located along the energy meridians.
Spinous processes
This refers to the most posterior portions of the vertebrae. In the cervical region in particular, the spinous processes can be very delicate, and are subject to breakage if the bones have become weakened from osteoporosis.
Sternum
The sternum, or the breastbone, is a long, flat bone on the anterior chest, between the inferior neck and the abdomen.
Stripping
Stripping is a deep unidirectional stroke in which pressure is applied along muscle fibers with the fingertips, the ulnar border of the hand, the thumb, or the elbow.
This is a relational term referring to a place on the body that is farther upward than another place, as in the head is superior to the chest.
Supine
This refers to a position of the body as a whole, in which the person is lying face up.
Supinated
The position of the hands in which the palms are facing upward.
Swedish massage
A swedish massage is a vigorous system of treatment designed to energize the body by stimulating circulation. Five basic strokes, all flowing toward the heart, are used to manipulate the soft tissues of the body. Therapists use a combination of gliding, kneading, rolling, vibration, and percussive movements, with the application of lubricant to reduce friction on the skin. Swedish massage is one of the most commonly taught and well-known massage techniques.
Tantsu
Developed by Harold Dull, who also created Watsu, or water shiatsu, Tantsu (also known as Tantsu Tantric shiatsu) brings Watsu’s in-water nurturing back onto land. In a Tantsu session, the giver cradles the receiver with her whole body. The receiver lies fully clothed on the floor, while the giver kneels or sits and supports the person. Like shiatsu, Tantsu is based on point work and powerful stretches to release chi (life force) along the body’s meridians and in the energy centers, or chakras.
Tapotement
This is a Western massage therapy technique category consisting of brisk percussive movements that are performed in rapid rhythmic fashion. Forms of tapotement include hacking, cupping, slapping, tapping, and quacking.
Thai massage
Also called Nuad Bo-Rarn, Thai massage is body manipulation based on the theory that the body is made up of 72,000 sen, or energy lines, and applying pressure and stretch to these energy lines acts as an external stimulant to produce specific internal effects. Thai massage is practiced on a firm mat on the floor instead of on a table. Thai massage has been taught and practiced in Thailand for approximately 2,500 years.
Thrombosis
This is a thickening of blood from a liquid to a semisolid or solid structure that forms in the circulatory system’s veins and arteries. Any indication or history of clots contraindicates massage which has the potential to loosen a thrombis, or clot, from the blood vessel wall, and allow it to move through the circulatory system and potentially to the brain, heart, or lungs, with serious health consequences.
Touch
To touch is to lay your hands upon something to come into contact with it. Massage therapists touch their clients or patients in many ways, but primarily with their hands. Touch may happen on a physical or an energetic level.
Traction
This is a slow, gentle pulling action with the body part along its axis, which causes the joint surface to slightly pull apart. Pulling or tractioning is performed in successive actions which nourishes the joint, helps to decrease muscle tone, and loosens any tissues that cross the joint being manipulated.
Trapezius
The Trapezius is a superficial back muscle with attachments on the vertebral column from the base of the skull to the lowest thoracic vertebra. The upper trapezius, which elevates the scapulas, is the area of the muscle that most frequently becomes tight and painful due to the activities of daily living and working and is one of the areas of the body on which most people appreciate massage.
See Greater trochanter.
Tubercle
See Greater tubercle.
Ventral
This is an area pertaining to the front of the body and frequently refers to the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.
Vertebral column
This is commonly called the spine orf back bone and consists of seven cervical (neck) vertebrae, twelve thoracic vertebrae each of which has ribs attached, and five lumbar vertebrae in the low back.
Vibration
This is a Western massage therapy technique category that includes oscillating, quivering, or trembling movements or movement of soft tissues back and forth or up and down, performed quickly and repeatedly. Vibration may be performed statically (in one place) or running (along the skin’s surface).
Watsu
This is a form of aquatic shiatsu, which began at Harbin Hot Springs where Harold Dull brought his knowledge of Zen shiatsu into a warm pool. Zen shiatsu incorporates stretches that release blockages along the meridians—the channels through which chi or life force flows. Dull found the effects of Zen shiatsu could be amplified and made more profound by stretching someone while having her float in warm water.
Wellness massage
This is a massage performed with the intention of promoting the receiver’s general well-being. It goes beyond the treatment of specific conditions to help the receiver achieve high-level wellness.
Wringing
Wringing is a type of rhythmic petrissage in which the whole hands are used to move muscle tissue back and forth between them in opposition, torquing the tissue and increasing mobility. Very similar in action to wringing water out of a towel.
Zen shiatsu
Zen shiatsu was developed by Shizuto Masanuga, who proposed the treatment of meridians beyond those recognized in the classical Chinese view. Masanuga also developed the widely accepted two-hand style, whereby one hand moves, applying pressure, while the other provides stationary support, and includes stretches along meridian lines.