Massage Therapy Essay Research Paper The practice

Massage Therapy Essay, Research Paper

The practice of massage therapy is

rapidly growing in the United States. It has numerous

benefits to offer and is becoming more widely accepted as

a medical practice by doctors and the general public.

Massage is defined as: .the systematic manual or

mechanical manipulations of the soft tissues of the body by

such movements as rubbing, kneading, pressing, rolling,

slapping, and tapping, for therapeutic purposes such as

promoting circulation of the blood and lymph, relaxation of

muscles, relief from pain, restoration of metabolic balance,

and other benefits both physical and mental (Beck 3).

There is much historical evidence to indicate that massage

is one of the earliest remedies for pain relief and for the

restoration of a healthy body. It is said to be the most

natural and instinctive means of relieving pain and

discomfort. The roots of massage can be traced back to

ancient civilizations. Many artifacts have been found to

support the belief that prehistoric people massaged their

muscles and even used some form of rubbing oils on their

bodies. According to research, some form of massage was

practiced in almost all early civilizations. Ancient Chinese,

Japanese, India, Hindu, Greek, and Roman civilizations

used some form of massage as a medical treatment. In

many of these civilizations a special person, such as a

healer, doctor, or spiritual leader, was selected to

administer massage treatments. With the decline of the

Roman Empire in 180 A.D. came a decline in the

popularity of massage and health care in general. There

was little history of health practices recorded during the

Middle Ages (476-1450). The Renaissance period

(1450-1600) revived an interest in health and science.

Once again, people became interested in the improvement

of physical health and by the second half of the fifth

century, massage was a common practice. By the sixteenth

century, medical practitioners began to incorporate

massage into their healing treatments. Massage has been a

major part of medicine for at least five thousand years and

important in Western medical traditions for at least three

thousands years. In the early part of the nineteenth century,

Per Henrik Ling, a physiologist and fencing master, from

Smaaland, Sweden, developed and systemized movements

that he found to be beneficial in improving physical

conditions. His system of movements, based on the science

of physiology, became known as Medical Gymnastics. In

1813, Ling established the Royal Swedish Central Institute

of Gymnastics, which was financed by the Swedish

government. From this institute Ling and his students were

able to educate people about his Medical Gymnastics

movements, which became known as the Swedish

Movements. By 1851, there were thirty-eight institutions

for Swedish Movement in Europe. Today, Per Henrik Ling

is known as the father of physical therapy. Mathias Roth

was an English physician who had studied at one of Ling.s

institutes. In 1858, he published the first book in English on

Swedish Movements and then established the first institute

in England. Charles Fayette Taylor, a New York physician,

studied, under Roth, and in 1858, Taylor introduced the

Swedish Movements to the United States. The beginning of

the twentieth century brought with it a decline in the use of

massage. There were several possible reasons for this

decline. One reason was that there were too many false

practitioners who gave poor care and hurt the reputation of

all massage practitioners. A second reason for the decline

in the popularity of massage therapy was the advancement

made in medicine. .Technical and intellectual advances

developed new treatment strategies that were based more

on pharmacology and surgical procedures. The old ideas of

treating disease through diet, exercise, and bathing gave

way to the more sophisticated practices of modern

medicine.. (Beck 13). Beginning around 1960, another

massage renaissance took place in the United States and

continues to this day. This popularity boom was due in part

to the increased cost of traditional medicine and in part to

an increased awareness of physical and mental fitness.

Since the 1960s massage therapy has gained popularity

and acceptance. In 1992, the first National Certification for

Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork exam was given,

making recognition for a massage therapist official.

Massage therapy offers numerous benefits to the human

body. Renslow Sherer, M.D., states, "Massage therapy

has clearly been shown to me to be very beneficial,

particularly in areas where conventional medicine has not

been as successful, including chronic arthritis,

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