Massage (pressure or rubbing) is an instinctive response to an injury or to relieve pain. Although most ancient civilizations are believed to have practiced some form of healing touch, the first written record of massage is to the Chinese practice of ”amma” (rubbing) circa 2000 B.C. The Japanese came to know massage through these writings and incorporated fingertip pressure along specific pathways of the body in a practice referred to as ”tsubo,” which has become the current day practice of Shiatsu.  During the next 1500 years, the knowledge of massage spread westward toward the Middle East via the trade routes from China.

About 400 B.C., the use of massage is referred to by Hippocrates, the father of medicine, as he specifically described the benefits of anatrapsis (rubbing).  He said, ”The physician must be acquainted with many things and assuredly with anatrapsis... for rubbing can bind a joint that is too loose or loosen a joint that is too hard.”  The Greeks used massage extensively to help condition athletes to improve their performance.

Roman civilization is credited with using massage for the healing and rehabilitation of soldiers injured in battle.  They also used massage extensively for general health and preventative maintenance, and incorporating the use of water in a ”therapeutic bath” that became the forerunner to modern hydrotherapy.  It is said that Julius Caesar was so convinced of the benefits of regular massage that he had one every day!

While various forms of massage have been in existence for millenia, it wasn't until the early 1800's that Swedish massage evolved.  This historic event is credited to a Swede, Per Henrik Ling, who put together the 5 basic strokes used in massage.  He was able to cure his own gout of the elbow using these strokes.

Near the turn of century in England, an arm of the British Medical Association uncovered a series of massage-related scandals.  In the best case, they uncovered incompetent massage techniques due to a poor system of education in the craft.  In the worst case, they uncovered houses of prostitution--the birth of the massage parlor.

Unfortunately, this seedy side of the profession received more notoriety than did the legitimate practitioner until 1943 when the American Association of Masseurs and Masseuses was established.  From this organization emerged the American Massage Therapy Association which is currently the largest professional association for Massage professionals.