How to perform effleurage

Effleurage

• The effleurage is a fancy term, (from French) for gliding. The effleurage consists of superficial glides over the skin without attempting to move the muscle beneath. The pressure applied has to be even. The effleurage is used more than any other stroke and it begins and ends each session.
• It can be performed on any part of the body.
• It can be used as a bridge between different strokes and it accustoms the patient to the touch of the therapist.
• Allows the operator to familiarize with the condition of the patient's muscles
• Increases circulation to the skin and superficial muscles and relaxes the patient.

Effleurage Types

There are several types of effleurage depending on the direction of the moves. We can also distinguish, depending on the amount of pressure employed on the skin, superficial effleurage and profound effleurage.

Straight Effleurage

Glide your hands over your patient's skin starting from lumbar area up to the neck. Fingers point forward towards the patient's neck and head. We are pushing the blood towards the hearth.

Bilateral Effleurage

Position one hand on each side of the spine and start on the lower back. Go towards the upper back, to the shoulders. While returning to the lower back go along the sides of the back. Remember this is a very light pressure movement.

Alternating Hand (Shingles)

Start with one of your hands to the side of the spine at the lower back. Move one hand forward 6 inches and then follow it with the other hand and then with the other one until you reach the shoulders. Do this several times and make sure you cover the whole surface of the back or limb. While the pressure is light the speed of the movement is rather fast compared to the bilateral effleurage.

Backward alternating (Shingles)

It is a shingles effleurage but performed backwards, with fingers pointed towards the lumbar area. The following video shows how to perform a backward alternating hand massage effleurage. Note that the movement is performed with a medium light presure so it would maximize the relaxation effect.

Deep Effleurage

Deep Effleurage is not actually very deep as for example in friction. The practitioner employs a light to medium pressure to skin. It can be performed on any part of the body. It will be more difficult to execute Deep Effleurage on hairy body parts such as the skull area.

Superficial Effleurage

Superficial Effleurage consist in a very shallow movement over the patient's body with the intention to create relaxation and to stimulate the nervous system. It is a relatively easy to perform move and it can be used on any part of the body. (Head Massage, Back Massage, Limbs Massage etc...)