Which one of the following is NOT a type of back massage?

Appeared in: RRB Nsg. Superintendent-20 July 2019 (Shift-1)

Explanation

Soaking is the process of immersing a body part in a liquid (e.g., water, medicated solution).
It is considered a form of hydrotherapy or a hygiene practice, used for cleansing or softening skin.
Unlike massage, it does not involve manual manipulation of soft tissues like muscles and skin.
Therefore, it is not classified as a type of massage technique.

Option A: Effleurage is a fundamental massage technique.
Option C: Tapping, also known as tapotement, is a standard percussive massage technique.
Option D: Petrissage is a core massage technique involving kneading movements.

Visual 1: Diagram - An illustration showing the hand movements for Effleurage, Petrissage, and Tapping on a human back to help differentiate the techniques visually.
Visual 2: Chart - A comparison table outlining the name, action, and purpose of various massage strokes (Effleurage, Petrissage, Tapotement, Friction).

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Identification of standard massage techniques used in nursing care as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Back massage is a common non-pharmacological nursing intervention to promote comfort, relaxation, and sleep, and to relieve pain.
Nurses must know the correct techniques and contraindications, such as avoiding massage over areas of skin breakdown, wounds, tumors, or acute inflammation.
What if? If a patient has a reddened area on their sacrum (a sign of a potential pressure injury), the nurse should not massage that area as it could cause further tissue damage. Instead, the area should be documented, reported, and the patient should be repositioned off the site.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the negative keyword 'NOT' in the question. This means you are looking for the option that does not belong in the group.
The question asks what is NOT a type of back massage.
Define 'back massage' in your mind: the manual manipulation of soft tissues on the back.
Evaluate each option against this definition.
Effleurage (gliding), Tapping (percussion), and Petrissage (kneading) are all forms of manual manipulation.
Soaking is immersion in water and does not involve manual strokes. It is the outlier.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Identification of standard massage techniques used in nursing care.
Stem keywords: back massage, type
Lead-in keywords: NOT
Negative lead-in flag: Question asks for the exception.

QZ4pmnHdcWmUA0qztjj8uB

Practise the full RRB Nsg. Superintendent-20 July 2019 (Shift-1)

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.