.

General Time Line

The History of Massage, Bodywork and Related
Modalities

3000 BC- Chinese: Cong-Fu of the Toa-Tse. Oldest known

book written about massage. Translated to French in
1700’s.

2760- Nei Ching describes therapeutic touch

2500 BC – Egyptians created reflexology.

2000 BC- First Writings about Massage

1800 BC- Ayurvedic. Art of Life book that included massage

techniques. In India, the focus was on sensual massage
aspects. Ayur-Veda is a code of life and it deals with rebirth,
renunciation, salvation, soul, purpose of life, maintenance of
mental health, prevention and treatment of diseases.

1600 B.C.- in Egypt the first record of chemotherapy being

employed as a treatment for cancer

1555 BC- A medical papyri contains remedies for all types of

illnesses and the methods of application are similar to the
ones used in Aromatherapy and Herbal medicine today.

1000 BC- Homer wrote about an oily medium used for

massage

776 BC- Olympic Games. Athletes massaged prior to their

events.

500 BC- Herodicus- prescribed gymnastics to heal.

Considered to be the founder of medical Gymnastics.

460-380 BC- Hippocrates was taught by Herodicus. Used

Friction to treat sprains and dislocations (called anatripsis-
Greek for friction). Thought that disease resulted from
natural causes and the body has the power to heal itself.
Wrote code of ethics that became the Hippocratic Oath.
Hippocrates said: hard rubbing binds…much rubbing
causes parts to waste…and moderate rubbing makes them
grow.

200 BC- Greek physician Galen used natural magnets to

relieve pain in treating many illnesses.

100-44 BC- Romans. Julius Caesar used Massage therapy

to relieve his neuralgia and epileptic seizures. Was thought
to have been “Pinched” every day.

90 BC – Chinese created acupuncture.

589 AD-617 AD- Sui Dynasty already had knowledge of

Massage used as therapy.

600’s – Japanese developed shiatsu (finger pressure or

acupressure), anma is

1368-1644 In the Ming Dynasty, pediatric massage (which,

for the first time, was referred to as "tuina") evolved into a
highly systematic treatment modality which is still popular
today.

1517-1590- Ambroise Pare, French barber surgeon, raised

awareness of the use of massage

1564-1626- Lord Francis Bacon observed that massage had

benefits enhancing circulation.

1608-1742-1823 - John Grosvenor, English surgeon

practiced healing with hands.

1776-1839 - Per Henrik Ling- fencing master and gymnast

studied massage after he cured himself of rheumatism in his
arm. Developed a system of Medical Gymnastics.

1679 – Giovanni Alfonso Borelli studied muscular

contraction.

1828-1917- American osteopathic medicine was begun by

Andrew Taylor Still

1839-1909 - Johann Mezger. Holland. Brought medical

massage to scientific community. Started using the terms
effleurage, petrissage and tapotement. 1850s- scientific
massage therapy was introduced in the United States by two
New York physicians, brothers George and Charles Taylor,
who had studied in Sweden.

1856 - Mathias Roth, English physician, taught Charles

Fayette Taylor and George Henry Taylor who brought
massage to the US

1852-1943 - John Harvey Kellogg, Battle Creek Sanitarium

used massage and hydrotherapy. Published magazine
called "Good Health"

1880 - Mary Putnam Jacobi and Victoria A White in New

York City. Medical Doctors and professors who researched
the benefits of massage and ice packs in the management of
anemia.

1884 - Professor Charcot. French Physician taught Sigmund

Freud. Though French doctors should use massage more.

1913 - Dr. William Fitzgerald rediscovered Reflexology and

called it Zone Therapy.

1917- James Mennell. London. St. Thomas Hospital. Did

physical treatment by movement, manipulation and
massage.

W.W.I- Swedish massage used for rehabilitation of injured

soldiers.

1929 - Elizabeth Dicke, German physical therapist created

“Bindgewebs massage” or connective tissue massage.
Used reflex zones.

1930’s - Hospitals staffed Physical Therapists who were

doing massage.
1939 - The Florida State Massage Therapy Association Inc.
(FSMTA) was first organized on June 15, 1939 one of the
oldest massage organization, with 85 charter members. The
first Massage Act was passed by the Florida Legislature in
1943.

949 - Massage Registration Act formulated by AMM.

History of Massage

A Timeline of Key Developments in Massage Therapy

Oct 6, 2008 Nicci Talbot

Massage has been practised for centuries as a means of

treating illness and promoting good health. This article is a
timeline of the key developments and theories.
Nei Ching, a Chinese physician, talked about the benefits of
therapeutic touch in 2760 BC. Early references were also
found in Ayurvedic texts from India. The ‘Ayur Veda’ was a
book about the ‘art of living’ circa 1700 BC. It described
various massage techniques, with a focus on the erotic and
sensual aspects of touch.

Greeks and Romans

The development of massage soon spread to the West

where it was picked up by the ancient Greeks and Romans.
Hippocrates, the Greek physician better known as the ‘father
of medicine’ (460-377 BC) believed that a ‘daily massage
and a scented bath’ were all we needed for good health.
Greek women also liked to use essential oils for pampering
treatments.

The Romans practiced massage regularly, borrowing many

techniques from the Greeks. Julius Caesar enjoyed a daily
massage and was ‘pinched’ to help relieve his neuralgia and
epilepsy. Gladiators also had regular massages before battle
to keep their bodies in peak physical shape. Most people
visited the public baths, where massages were on offer to
all.

Swedish Massage

Swedish massage developed in the 19th century. Per Henrik

Ling was a Swedish fencing master and gymnast who picked
up eastern massage techniques during a trip to China. He
used it to cure himself of rheumatism and went on to develop
Swedish massage, which consists of five long, flowing
strokes: Effleurage (light touch), Petrissage (kneading),
Tapotement (tapping), Friction and Vibration.

Aromatherapy

Massage was widely used to help treat injured soldiers

during both World Wars. In 1937 the French chemist Rene
Maurice Gattefosse accidentally discovered that he could
soothe a burn by applying lavender oil. He did further
research into the use of oils for massage and developed the
term ‘aromatherapy,’ a popular form of massage today.