Tuina (pronounced ‘twee-nah’) is a form of Chinese therapeutic body massage. ‘Tui’ meaning to push and ‘Na’ to grasp, lift or squeeze, this form of manual therapy is often used in conjunction with acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping, herbal medicine, Qigong and more according to Taoist and Chinese medicine treatment principles. Movements involve the practitioner brushing, kneading, rolling, pressing, and rubbing, grasping the various muscles, joints, and skin on or around affected areas in an attempt to move the energy along in the corresponding meridians and tissue. The practitioner will explore range of motion, stretch, rotate, and perform traction while stimulating acupressure points. These techniques, from gentle to firm, aid in the treatment of both acute and chronic musculoskeletal conditions, as well as many non-musculoskeletal conditions.
