Massage Therapy in Early and Late Modern History

From sprouting out of the culture of ancient China, to almost dying out in some areas of the world during the Dark Ages, massage therapy has stood the test of time. This resilience would continue on throughout humanity’s timeline, thanks to the early and late periods of modern history. Without this time period, we wouldn’t have the practice as it is in our contemporary world today.

Everything began to fall into place between the late 1700s and early 1800s.  

Within this time, Swedish physical educator, Per Henrik Ling, set a goal to form his own style of massage. After having studied anatomy, he started his career as a lecturer in university, covering the topics of gymnastics and fencing. Through this, he learned from his experience with his students that re-educating posture could help gymnasts move better. Eventually he realized that one could aid the gymnasts posture using massage techniques. This practice of his would later become known to the public as “Swedish massage”.[1]

Many years later, after Ling’s death, in the mid-1800s, Hollander Johann Mezger, and Englishman Mathias Roth, introduced Ling’s ideas to scientists (alongside popularizing the term “massage”). Splitting paths with his friend Roth, Mezger would then go on to spread the concept of Swedish massage to Germany and Austria. Meanwhile, Roth would introduce it to the brothers Charles and George Taylor, who’d later bring the practice to the United States.[2]

The Taylor brothers, however, weren’t the only ones spreading the concept of massage around America. Norwegian gymnast, Hartvig Nissen, would establish the country’s first school of massage in 1883. This school, based in Washington D.C., was known as the Swedish Health Institute for the Treatment of Chronic Diseases by Swedish Movements and Massage. Later on, American physician John Harvey Kellogg, who was known for his invention of the corn flakes breakfast cereal, would also contribute to massage’s popularity. Targeting the general public, he’d go on to write several books and articles on the topic. [4][3]

By the early 1900s, another form of massage began to emerge out from the ancient Japanese practice of anma. A young boy named Tokujiro Namikoshi, from Hokkaido, Japan, found that his massage techniques had helped his mom cope with her arthritis issues. His style, using only his hands, palms, and fingers, would eventually take the arthritis away altogether. Because of this, Namikoshi was inspired to pursue a passion of practicing massage. However, due to strict law during the time, he was arrested for practicing massage without a license. This issue would later be resolved when he finally obtained a license through formal education.[5]

Many years later, Namikoshi would open a massage school of his own, in order to teach the style that he had created (known as “Shiatsu”). By the 1950s, this style would become known to the Americans, after a massage school in Iowa invited Namikoshi to teach. Furthermore, the practice became even more popular when American actress, Marilyn Monroe, visited Japan. There, she availed Namikoshi’s shiatsu services.[6][7]

Meanwhile, just before shiatsu arrived in the United States, Americans were beginning to further legitimize the practice of massage therapy within certain areas. The act of legitimization first came through the formation of the Florida State Massage Therapy Association. This association would be the first of its kind, only to be followed by another, years later, on a national scale. The new association was called the American Association of Masseuses and Masseurs (AAMM), having been created by students of the College of Swedish Massage in Chicago. By the 1980s, the AAMM became known as the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA).[8][9]

When the year 1990 swung in, the AMTA established the AMTA Foundation, now known as the Massage Therapy Foundation. This foundation was created to communicate knowledge of massage to the general public. Years later, in 1998, the foundation furthered its mission by establishing the Massage Therapy Research Database, in hope to become a host of research literature on the practice. Today, the database houses thousands of pieces on the subject.[10]

Thanks to all of the past individuals of various cultural backgrounds, from Swedish to Dutch, and Japanese to American, the world today enjoys various types of massages. Furthermore, with scientists backing the practice with notable positive conclusions, massage therapy has become a practice here to stay.

Enjoy this blast from the past? Here at EPIC, you can take part of the ever-growing history of massage by living it. Don’t be shy to hit us up with a booking! 

Sources:

1. Callaway, K. and Burgess, S. (2010). A History of Massage. In L. Casanelia and D. Stelfox (Ed.). Foundations of Massage. Chatswood, Australia: Elsevier.

2. Ibid.

3. Tarver, H.M., Luchau, T., and Salvo, S.G. (2016). History of Massage Therapy. In S.G Salvo (Ed.). Massage Therapy: Principles and Practice. St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier

4. Schneider, L.E. John Harvey Kellogg. Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/asian-and-middle-eastern-art-biographies/john-harvey-kellogg

5. Skuban, R. (2019, October 01). History of Shiatsu Massage. Acupuncture Massage College. Retrieved from: https://www.amcollege.edu/blog/history-of-shiatsu

6. Ji, L. (2013). The History of Shiatsu. The University of Florida. Retrieved from: http://plaza.ufl.edu/ltji/massage-types/Shiatsu.html

7. Los Angeles Times. (2000, September 26). Tokujiro Namikoshi; Shiatsu Massage Expert. Retrieved from: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-sep-26-me-26862-story.html

8. Brunicardi, T. (2018, July 10). The History of Massage Therapy. Hocking College. Retrieved from: https://blog.hocking.edu/the-history-of-massage-therapy

9. American Massage Therapy Association. (2019, August). Timeline. American Massage Therapy Association. Retrieved from: https://www.amtamassage.org/about/timeline/

10. Braun, M.B. and Simonson, S. (2008). Introduction to Massage Therapy. Philadelphia, PH: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.