Massage is the working of superficial and deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue using various techniques, to enhance function, aid in the healing process, and promote relaxation and well-being.[1][2] The word comes from the French massage "friction of kneading", or from Arabic massa meaning "to touch, feel or handle" or from Latin massa meaning "mass, dough",[3][4] cf. Greek verb μάσσω (massō) "to handle, touch, to work with the hands, to knead dough".[5] In distinction the ancient Greek word for massage was anatripsis,[6] and the Latin was frictio.
Massage involves working and acting on the body with
pressure – structured, unstructured, stationary, or moving – tension, motion,
or vibration, done manually or with mechanical aids. Target tissues may include
muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, skin, joints, or other connective tissue,
as well as lymphatic vessels, or organs of the gastrointestinal system. Massage
can be applied with the hands, fingers, elbows, knees, forearm, and feet. There
are over eighty different recognized massage modalities.[7] The most cited
reasons for introducing massage as therapy have been client demand and perceived
clinical effectiveness.
