History of Swedish Massage
The Classical Massage (manuel therapy) is one of the oldest body treatments in the history
and is originated in asia and east africa (Egypt, Persia, China and India). The first written
references are from the chinese Huang Di, about 2600 b.c. who describes different massage
techniques and gymnastic exercises.
There is also early evidence of massages combined with
ethereal oils and herbs in the traditional indian health system, called Ayurveda.
With the greek physician Hippokrates (460-375 b.c.) massage where entering the european continent
and played also an essential role for rehabilitation and healing in the roman empire.
But only at the end of the middle ages, in the 16th century through the german medical scholar
and alchimist Paracelsus, massage again became established in modern medicin.
The socalled “swedish era” in the field of manuel therapy started with the swedish professor
Pehr Ling who foundet 1813 the “Institute for healing gymnastics and massage” in Stockholm.
He improved and developt specific hand movements and certain procedures which are today part of
manuel therapies.
Also significantly involved for further development of massage and including it for medical
treatment was the dutch phisician Johann Georg Mezger (1838-1909).