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Petrissage




Petrissage is a form of massage that is executed on a host by grasping his muscles between the thumbs and fingers and kneaded, squeezed and rolled in an orderly fashion. It concentrates on specific groups of muscles during therapy aiding in release of harmful toxins which are built up in the muscles from time to time. Petrissage is an intensive massage which effectively eliminates knots in the tissues. Blood circulation is significantly enhanced which provides the recipient with relaxation and relief from pain and aches.

Procedure of Petrissage:


  • Any muscle of the body is grasped with the thumb and the index finger and the muscle rolled back on it with the thumb. Similarly, the thumb can be kept stationery and the muscle rolled back with the finger and the procedure is repeated 4-5 times for the desired results.

  • The finger and the thumb of both the hands grasp a group of muscles and it is worked back against them with the finger. Gradually, it moves onward with continuous overlapping movements. This ensures that every part is attended to.


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  • The finger and heel of the thumb grasps the muscles and kneads the heel against the fingers.

  • Keeping the hand in close contact with the flesh, the muscles of the arms or legs are grasped within the hands and the thumbs work against them in a spiral, upward and outward movement. In the process the muscles are squeezed, kneaded and rolled.

Methods followed in Petrissage:


  • Scissoring:

    This is a movement that is done with very little pressure on a flat surface. The movement is done exclusively by the middle and index fingers of both the therapists' hands.

  • Knuckling:

    This method utilizes the knuckles to knead the muscles in varying degrees of upward and circular movement. This is also another form of kneading.