Final answer:
The term tapotement refers to a shaking movement performed by an esthetician during a therapeutic session that involves rapid, rhythmic tapping with the fingertips or palms to stimulate nerve endings, increase circulation, and relax muscles.
Step-by-step explanation:
The shaking movement in which an esthetician quickly shakes his or her arms while the fingertips or palms make contact with the client is known as tapotement. This technique is used in various therapeutic practices, including massage therapy, and is designed to stimulate nerves, increase blood circulation to the area being treated, and relax the muscles. The term tapotement comes from the French word 'tapoter', meaning 'to tap or pat', reflecting the technique's percussion-like, rhythmic application on the body.
The movements described in the question, such as rapid, alternating movements of the arms, are essential in certain physical therapy assessments to test coordination and proprioception, which relate to the body's ability to sense its position and movements in space. For instance, patients may be asked to touch their heel to their shin and move it up and down to test lower extremity coordination, or to repeat nonsensical consonants like "lah-kah-pah" to test speech-related coordination.