Brush Up on the History of the Massage Therapy ProfessionIf you have never taken a massage class, brushing up on the history of the massage profession is a great way to learn about the field and its many facets. This book is an excellent overview of the evolution of the massage therapy profession and includes details on the earliest practitioners and licensing laws in each state. It also discusses the evolution of massage therapy as we know it today, with the contributions of Patricia Benjamin and Dr. Emil A.G. Kleen.AmbroisAmbroise Pare was a promoter of massage in the sixteenth-century. He was the personal physician to four French kings, including the famous Mary Queen of Scots. He graded massages as general, soothing, and vigorous. He also developed a stimulating massage, which was popularized and copied by other doctors. His work helped establish massage as a medical treatment. However, the history of naked massage therapy goes back further.Ambroise Pare was a physician for over 30 years. His innovations in surgery, massage and other medical procedures were unsurpassed. In fact, he made so many advances in his career, he's often considered to be the father of modern surgery. In 1533, he was a barber-surgeon apprentice at the Hotel Dieu. He was trained in anatomy and surgery and was employed as an army surgeon by 1537. In 1552, he became the royal surgeon. During his career, he served four French monarchs.Although the history of massage therapy dates back to the Middle Ages and is still being researched, very little information is available about this period. This time society was extremely strict and superstitious. There was little emphasis on education and physical health. In 1450 AD, there was a time of renaissance, with renewed interest and science in arts, science, health, and other practices. Today, massage therapy's history continues to grow.PareThe history of massage can be traced back to the third millennium BCE in China. The "Canon of the Yellow Emperor", which contains the principles of massage and acupuncture, was the first manual to describe the practice. It was translated by Jesuit missionaries. It was used by early massage practitioners for many ailments, including joint stiffness or the healing of wounds.In the early 18th century, Per Henrik Ling developed a system of massage which involved pressing, stroking, squeezing, and striking to alleviate pain. This massage became known later as Swedish massage. In the 1700s, surgeons often used massage to treat injuries from the Crimean War. In the early 1900s, Dr. Randolph Stone created a technique called polarity therapy. Dr. Stone examined the many systems of the body and concluded that magnetic fields controlled various physiological processes.From its earliest roots, massage therapy underwent a transformation between the 1970s and 2000. The counterculture movement that brought out a new generation of "hippies" and a desire for reconnection with nature, ignited interest in natural healing and alternative medicines. The Esalen Institute epitomized this movement. These movements spurred new types of manual therapy, such as Esalen massage. Asia influenced other forms of massage. Shiatsu was popularized in Japan and China, while Ayurvedic massage was common in India.MezgerIn the late 1800s, the term "masseur" was used to describe a manual therapist who was trained in soft tissue manipulation. Hydrotherapy was used with massage and may have been the beginning of spa services. During this time, full-body massages became popular among society ladies, and the use of hydrotherapy in massage increased demand. Swedish massage was popularized in the 1930s and adopted by physiotherapists as a part of their overall approach.In the early 1900s, the word "massage" dominated the practice of manual therapy. This sparked a new interest in natural healing and masseuses were trained in the traditions of Ling, Mezger and other healers. The use of massage as a therapeutic practice gained widespread recognition, especially as the movement gained momentum in the United States. By the early 1980s, more states had legalized massage as a branch of medicine. In 1999, more than a dozen states regulated massage therapy and began licensing practitioners.Mezger's influence over the profession of massage can also be traced back to Ling's work. He translated books on massage into French. This was important, because the nineteenth century was a global language. Mezger eventually used his French "friction techniques" to treat minor sprains or pains. His work on distonia was later used as the basis of Swedish massage.KomarpajLearn about the history of massage therapy before you decide to become one. Before it was recognized as a legitimate profession, the profession was closely associated with the prostitution business. Demand for independent masseuses and masseurs increased significantly. In the early 1900s, massage became a respected profession, and in Ohio, masseuses were licensed and regulated as a branch of medicine. Masseuses today practice many traditional techniques and are motivated by the desire to help others.It is fascinating to look back at the history of massage therapy. The profession went through a major transformation in the 1960s. The counterculture movement brought about a new awareness of human potential. This movement sparked a revival of interest in natural healing, including massage. The Esalen Institute, which epitomized the "human potential" movement, developed a new type of manual therapy known as Esalen massage. Other forms of massage therapy developed in Asia and India, including acupressure, shiatsu, and Ayurvedic massage.Johann Georg Mezger, a Dutch doctor, studied Chinese massage in the 1800s. He had an interest in gymnastics and translations of Chinese massage books were made into French. Mezger used his techniques to treat minor strains. He later went on to write a doctoral dissertation on distonia, which became the basis of Swedish massage. Swedish massage is still widely used today.Shivago KomarpajThai massage is a traditional Thai form of bodywork that has been used in Thailand for more than two thousand years. It was developed by Jivaka Bhaccha, a friend to Buddha, and was originally used as a medicine by monks in the Buddhist community. Many of these ancient texts are still preserved in Thai temples. Many of these texts were preserved in stone engravings but only a few are still available today.In fact, the Buddha had a favorite physician, Shivago Komarpaj, who was a great guru in the Buddhist tradition. He was the personal physician to the Buddha, and gained god-like status in the Buddhist religion. His teachings are also found in the scriptures and are known as the Father Doctor. His massage techniques are based upon ancient techniques that are powerful but gentle.Thai massage is a form of bodywork that dates back to ancient times, unlike other types of massage. It is a combination massage techniques that draw from Southeast Asia. In fact, the Buddha's personal physician, Shivago Komarpaj, was recognized for sowing the seeds of Thai massage. Unfortunately, much of the history and practice of Thai massage was destroyed by the Burmese invasion in 1767. However, the Sala Moh Nuat massage pavilion preserved its history.Ambroise PareAmbroise Pare is known as the father and founder of modern surgery. He was a French physician who worked during the Renaissance. In 1533, Pare became an apprentice at a Paris barber-surgeon shop, where he learned anatomy. In 1537, he was appointed surgeon to the army and served four French monarchs. Throughout his career, he remained at the forefront of the field of medicine.Ambroise Pare's history with massage dates back to the mid-16th-century, when she argued for the therapeutic benefits and benefits of bodywork. Per Henrik Ling, a Swedish gymnast, followed her in the late nineteenth century to promote massage. Massage became a medical specialty in the 16th century. There was a section at St. Thomas's Hospital in London. Pare's work influenced massage practice and helped the hospital treat patients with shock and Mary Queen of Scots. Massage became a medically recognized field after her methods were copied by other doctors.After establishing the Society of Trained Masseuses, Pare helped spread the idea of massage to the West. He began by treating gunshot wounds with boiling oil, a practice that was frowned upon at the time. He discovered that a mixture consisting of egg yolk, rose oil and turpentine was more effective than boiling oil in healing gunshot wounds. He published his findings in La Method de traicter des playes faites par les archebuses, which was later transcribed as "The History of Massage Therapy".