Someone had asked me this question a while ago. It is a topic that we covered in the first semester of the training program for massage therapy because it is good to know where you came from to be able to appreciate the progression of the profession. Although my memory of this information was a tad rusty, I wanted to put together a brief overview of how massage therapy came to be.
>3000 BCE India: practiced as a part of Ayurveda, or the science of life, massage was used a natural and sacred form of healing pain and injuries as well as preventing illness. It revolves around restoring balance in the body, which enables it to heal.
About 2700 BCE China and Southeast Asia: combining massage with traditional Chinese medicine, martial arts and spiritual yoga. Eventually evolving with acupuncture, acupressure and herbal medicine to become a predominate aspect of alternative medicine.
2500 BCE Egypt: massage was discovered on tomb paintings, where their techniques were used to develop pressure points on the hands and feet to affect the body's ability to heal (known as reflexology).
1000 BCE Japan: Shiatsu was formed from monks from Japan. By rebalancing the energy levels through stimulation of pressure points, the bodily organ will become stronger and the tissues can heal.
800-700 BCE Greece and Rome: athletes would use massage to condition their body before competing. Doctors would also use herbs mixed with oils and massage to help treat numerous conditions, in combination with proper diet and exercise. The Romans eventually developed a "spa" like environment for people to go to have massage to help with circulation and promote joint health.
With the development of pharmaceuticals and medical technology, massage therapy went into a decline.
1800s Sweden: Per Henrik Ling, a doctor, gymnast and teacher developed the Swedish Movement Cure to aid patients suffering from chronic pain. This created what is formally known as Swedish Massage Techniques:
Effleurage - long, gliding (usually superficial) strokes
Petrissage - a "kneading" technique that engages the deeper layers of the soft tissues
Tapemotement - a striking technique with the fingers, palm or hand used to stimulate tissues
Frictioning - a very specific, deep and small movements of the fingers or thumb applied to soft tissues to break areas that are tacked down.
As massage therapy continued to grow, practitioners had additional training in anatomy, physiology, pathology, human kinetics and hygiene that helped massage therapy migrate into the health care field. Hydrotherapy applications were introduced to aide in healing experience of massage therapy, which led to the creation of various spa services.
Massage therapy continued to grow as a reputable form of health care all over the world. The College of Massage Therapists of Ontario was created in 1919 to ensure that RMTs hold themselves accountable for providing safe and effective treatment for people seeking massage therapy. They set the standards that we must abide by to ensure public safety.
Even though massage therapy has come a long way, we still have a long way to go. So thank you for being a part of this amazing journey with us!!
Thank you for taking the time to read this article today and I hope you have a great day!!
References:
About the College – College of massage therapists of Ontario. (n.d.). Retrieved February 13, 2021, from https://www.cmto.com/about-the-college/
Florida Academy. (2019, September 19). History of MASSAGE Therapy: Natural healers since 5000 years. Retrieved February 13, 2021, from https://florida-academy.edu/history-of-massage-therapy/?fbclid=IwAR1mptQ4eqvoGfdRZUMLxpRm1z8HNrMOGi3halRot9niyVfZA6NIWsdk1j4
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