| Purpose |
|
|---|---|
| Pressure | 2–4 / 10 · pressure scale |
| Rhythm | Slow and continuous, like a wave travelling forward, about 2–3 cm a second. |
| Hands | Pads of both thumbs and the fingertips of both hands |
| Cautions |
|
Step by step
- 01 / 06
Prepare the skin
Work before applying oil, or wipe excess oil off the area with the towel. The skin needs to be grippable.
- 02 / 06
Pick up a fold
Place both thumbs flat on the skin with your fingertips a few centimetres ahead. Gently draw the fingers back to lift a small fold of skin between fingers and thumbs.
- 03 / 06
Roll it forward
Walk your fingers forward, gathering more skin, while your thumbs push the fold along behind them. The fold should travel forward like a wave.
- 04 / 06
Keep the wave going
Keep feeding skin into the fold so it never drops. If the fold slips, pick it up again and continue.
- 05 / 06
Work in strips
Roll in parallel strips up the back, starting beside the spine and moving outwards. Keep off the spine itself.
- 06 / 06
Check in and finish
Ask how it feels, as some areas are more tender. Finish with effleurage to settle the skin.
Common mistakes
- Using too much oil, so the fold keeps slipping.
- Pinching a thin fold with the fingertips instead of lifting a broad roll.
- Rolling over the spine.
- Moving too fast so the wave breaks.
How it should feel
- Giver: a soft roll of skin travelling between your fingers and thumbs.
- Receiver: a lifting, rolling sensation that may be a little tender but never sharp.
Self-check
Drills
Skin rolling is part of the petrissage family (see Petrissage) but works at the most superficial level: the skin and the fascia just below it. It is most often used on the back, beside the Erector spinae and over the Latissimus dorsi and Trapezius.
Areas where the skin is harder to lift often feel tighter to the client. Treat this as information to note, not a diagnosis.