Massage therapy:

is a type of rehabilitative and preventive medicine, which is carried out by massage with oil, cream, talcum powder or other products ideal for the skin to be treated. As one of the oldest and most widespread therapies, it has wide application in the treatment of trauma and disease.

It is used to reduce fatigue, increase the recovery capacity of athletes, and to relax muscles (especially for those suffering from stress and muscle tension). It determines a state of general relaxation at the psychophysical level.

Massage therapy involves various massage techniques, summarized as:

• Touching: the maneuver by which massage is initiated and ended. It consists only of a glide of the hand over the skin, without pressure. Touching prepares the patient for subsequent maneuvers.
• Rubbing: pressure on the skin is increased. It is critical because it anticipates and concludes every other maneuver.
• Friction: differs from the previous action in that the therapist’s hand continuously maintains contact with the skin and performs friction on the superficial and deep layers.
• Kneading: this maneuver (applicable on muscle mass) involves pinching, lifting and moving the muscle crosswise by exerting thumb pressure against the fingers of the opposing hand.
• Pressure: is exerted through pressure perpendicular to the patient’s skin and facilitates reabsorption in cases of edema or vascular defects.
• Percussion: is implemented by a series of quick, rapid tapping of the fingers. It results in a marked improvement in muscle vascularity and is recommended in injuries that have caused hypotrophy.
• Vibration: is performed with short, rapid movements aimed at unraveling adhesions between muscles.

Massage therapy produces a noticeable improvement in vascularity, increases skin and muscle elasticity, results in a relaxing effect, and is able to relieve pain with a sedative effect. It not only improves lymphatic circulation but also dissolves muscle contractures.

Lymphatic drainage:

Lymphatic drainage is a special massage technique, practiced in areas of the body characterized by excessive reduction of the lymphatic circulation.

Lymphatic drainage, as the word itself foretells, promotes the drainage of lymphatic fluids from the tissues: manual mechanical action is exerted at the level of areas affecting the lymphatic system (consisting of the spleen, thymus, lymphatic nodules and lymph nodes), in order to facilitate the outflow of stagnant body fluids.

Connectival massage (myofascial, neuroconnectival): is a technique that interacts with the deep layers of muscle tissues.

In fact, this is where toxins accumulate as a result of the pressure and stress to which our bodies are constantly subjected.

It is especially useful for chronic pain and contractures, as in the case of sore shoulders and stiffness in the neck, back, and leg muscles. Some of the movements used in this massage are the classic ones, but the touch is slower and the pressure deeper and more concentrated on the areas of tension.

taken from http://www.mypersonaltrainer.it

Pompage: is a manual technique applied at the level of the cervical spine: it acts on both the muscular and articular components through a decoaptation of the interapophyseal joints.

The technique consists of very gradual and progressive assisted vertebral tractions that decoaptate the small intervertebral joints, stretch the ligaments of the spinal segment, lengthen the spinal muscles, and produce a widening of the intervertebral foramina.

There are many types of pumpage, depending on the area of application and the muscle groups to be treated, but generally there is a three-step rule to be followed:

1. Progressive tensioning of the body segment
2. Maintenance of tension
3. Gradual release that should last as long as energization.