According to their application, the five basic Swedish massage strokes are placed into groups called effleurage, petrissage, friction, tapotement, and vibration. These strokes are categorized based on tradition, research, observation, and experience.

In petrissage, rolling friction is sometimes used as a variation of friction on the extremities. The strokes consist of the client using both hands to tightly compress the tissue, while the palms are open and the fingers are extended. While both hands are moving in separate directions, the tissue, skin, and muscle should be rolled around the bone. A back and forth movement should be used while compressing the tissue, and hands should be slid from distal to proximal while the tissue is sliding around an extremity.

Wringing friction is yet another variation used on extremities (particularly arms, legs, and fingers), and it entails compressing the tissues (the tissues should be lubricated) all over with palmar surfaces of the hands and fingers. Then the trunk of the body should be reached with the hands in a distal to proximal movement. These wringing strokes should be employed with vigor, which is why the stroke's name implies that of wringing water from a cloth.

A visual of wringing friction is helpful to have in mind. What the picture would look like if a therapist was using wringing friction on a client, is the client lying in a supine position (or face up) with one arm extended straight up and down into the air. The therapist will be standing on the side of the table that is closest to that arm massaging up towards the hand from lower down the arm. The strokes will look firm and move in alternating circular patterns using both hands.