Massage Therapy Techniques

verb To touch or stroke gently or lovingly

adjective Showing fondness or tenderness through touch

• The artist spent hours meticulously caressing each stroke of paint onto the canvas.
• She couldn't resist caressing the soft fur of the kitten.
• He was caught caressing his girlfriend's hand under the table.
• The warm sun caressed his face as he sat on the beach, feeling at peace.

verb to work and press into a mass with the hands

• The baker must knead the dough for at least 10 minutes to ensure it has the right consistency.
• I always knead the bread dough by hand instead of using a machine.
• My grandma's secret to making the best pie crust is to really knead the dough until it's just right.
• In order to succeed in life, you must knead your skills and talents to reach your full potential.

noun a person who lays on something

verb to place or spread something on a surface

• The patient was instructed to lay on the examination table for the doctor to perform the check-up.
• Just lay on the couch and relax, I'll bring you a blanket.
• Let's lay on the grass and chill for a bit.
• The success of the project will lay on the team's ability to work together effectively.

noun a substance or lotion that is applied to the skin and massaged in

verb to apply pressure and move one's hand or an object back and forth on a surface

adverb in a way that involves applying pressure and moving back and forth on a surface

• It is important to gently rub in the lotion to ensure even coverage.
• Don't forget to rub in the sunscreen before you go outside.
• I always rub in some hand cream before bed to keep my skin soft.
• She couldn't help but rub in the fact that she had won the competition.

noun the action of moving one's hand or an object back and forth against a surface

verb present participle of the verb 'rub', which means to move one's hand or an object back and forth against a surface

• The physical therapist showed the patient the proper technique for rubbing the sore muscles.
• I always feel better after rubbing my temples when I have a headache.
• She's always rubbing it in that she got the promotion over me.
• The success of the team was like rubbing salt in the wound for their rivals.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea. In this case, 'spot' is a noun as it refers to a specific location or area.

adjective a word that describes or modifies a noun. In this case, 'tender' is an adjective that describes the type of spot being referred to as sensitive or painful.

• The doctor gently pressed on the patient's tender spot to assess the level of pain.
• I accidentally bumped into my tender spot and it really hurts now.
• Ouch, that's my tender spot, be careful!
• Bringing up that topic is like poking a tender spot for her.

noun the back part of the head or skull

• The occiput is the back part of the head or skull.
• I have a headache at the occiput of my head.
• I hit the back of my occiput on the door frame.
• The weight of the world feels like it's pressing down on my occiput.

noun a type of muscle located in the neck that helps with head movement

• The sternocleidomastoid muscle is responsible for rotating the head and flexing the neck.
• I strained my sternocleidomastoid muscle while doing a heavy workout at the gym.
• I feel like my sternocleidomastoid muscle is going to snap after that intense yoga session.
• Her sternocleidomastoid muscle tensed up as she tried to hold back her emotions.

adjective describing a state of being without pain

• The new medication promises to provide a pain-free experience for patients with chronic conditions.
• I finally found a way to make my workouts pain-free by adjusting my form.
• After the massage, I felt totally pain-free and ready to take on the day.
• Her words were like a soothing balm, making the difficult conversation pain-free.

noun a point on the body where pressure can be applied to relieve pain or discomfort

• In acupressure, the pressure point located between the thumb and index finger is believed to alleviate headaches.
• If you're feeling stressed, try pressing on the pressure point in the middle of your palm.
• I swear by this trick - just press on the pressure point behind your ear to relieve tension.
• During negotiations, bringing up certain topics can act as a pressure point to sway the outcome in your favor.

noun a therapy in which pressure is applied to specific points on the body to relieve pain or promote relaxation

• Acupressure is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that involves applying pressure to specific points on the body.
• I heard acupressure can help with headaches by pressing on certain points on your hand.
• I'm going to try some acupressure to see if it helps my back pain.
• Using acupressure, she was able to release the tension in her mind and find inner peace.