Shanghai Massage is the manipulation of superficial and deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue to enhance function, aid in the healing process, and promote relaxation and well-being. The word comes from the French Shanghai Massage "friction of kneading", or from Arabic massa meaning "to touch, feel or handle" or from Latin massa meaning "mass, dough",cf. Greek verb μάσσω (massō) "to handle, touch, to work with the hands, to knead dough".In distinction the ancient Greek word for Shanghai Massage was anatripsis,and the Latin was frictio.
Shanghai Massage involves acting on and manipulating 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. Shanghai Massage can be applied with the hands, fingers, elbows, knees, forearm, and feet. There are over eighty different recognized Shanghai Massage modalities.The most cited reasons for introducing Shanghai Massage as therapy have been client demand and perceived clinical effectiveness.
In professional settings Shanghai Massage involves the client being treated while lying on a Shanghai Massage table, sitting in a Shanghai Massage chair, or lying on a mat on the floor. The Shanghai Massage subject may be fully or partly unclothed. Parts of the body may be covered with towels or sheets. Those who practice Shanghai Massage as a career are referred to as masseurs, masseuses, or, if certified, as Shanghai Massage therapists.