Massage Terms and Definitions

Part of the Massage For Dummies Cheat Sheet

The language of massage isn’t too different from the language you normally use, although some massage terms use different definitions. Some terms — Rolfing, anyone? — are unique to massage. The following table sets out commonly used and commonly confusing massage terms.

Term	Definition
Adhesion	Muscle and connective tissue fibers that are stuck together, which massage can separate
Ayurveda	An ancient healing system from India that uses diet, meditation, herbs, and massage to balance the body
Body worker	A practitioner of massage or similar hands-on healing techniques
Connective tissues	The web of tissue (primarily collagen fibers) that surround your every muscle, organ, and bone, holding your body together
Deep tissue	A type of massage that targets the deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue
Drape	Towels, sheets, and so on, used to cover a person receiving a massage
Energy work	Type of massage that focuses on vital, invisible energies in your body
Full body massage	Relaxation massage treating the whole body as compared to remedial massage treating a localized area
Knots	Tight bands of muscle fibers and connective tissues that massage often softens
On-site massage	Seated and clothed massage given in special chairs — usually in offices, stores, airports, or at special events
Parlor	Place where people eat ice cream
Rolfed	Deep massage work on fascia that realigns the body with gravity
Spa	Health facility where people go to learn holistic practices, eat healthy foods, exercise, and receive massages and spa treatments
Structural work	Massage that realigns the body’s structure
Swedish	The most well-known and widely practiced form of massage in the Western world, consisting of stroking, kneading, applying pressure, stretching, and so on
Trigger point	A tight, tender spot in muscles that responds well to targeted massage