There are many types of massage therapy techniques that range from deep pressure with invigorating effects to light pressure for relaxation effects. There are also techniques used between other stroke techniques in order to make the massage cohesive. Feather stroking is light pressure and often feels relaxing for the client, as well as a good technique to use to tie together the overall massage.

What is Feather Stroking?

Feather stroking is very light and gentle, usually performed with one’s fingertips. This is often performed by alternating between both hands, in a long stroking movement such as what you would envision as the orientation of an actual feather from a bird. This can be performed at the beginning of a massage to set the tone for relaxation. It is sometimes used at the end of the massage to finalize the effects of the massage, leaving the client stress-free afterwards.

How should I incorporate Feather Stroking?

This technique can also be used as a transition from one massage technique to another, for a softening effect. For example, the massage therapist may have sensed a knot or “trigger point” in the calf muscle and used deep sustained pressure in that area to release the knot. He or she may then perform feather stroking to generally soften those deeper effects before moving onto another body part with a different technique.

As always, the massage therapist will take into consideration the goals of the client in terms of the massage and after-effects. Often, when relaxation and stress relief are goals, this is an excellent go-to technique. As noted, it is often a great finishing technique to leave the client relaxed and feeling excited about the effects they experienced and ready for the next massage!

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