Massage is one of the most natural methods of health care and has been used by ancient cultures for thousands of years. Evidence of massage dates back to prehistoric times and is depicted in European cave paintings done about 15000 BC. Massage in its basic form has been around as long as man. From these basic techniques massage gradually developed into a healing therapy comprised of specialised forms of treatment. Therapeutic massage first evolved in the Eastern World and gradually migrated to Western societies. A blending of old and modern techniques today provides the massage therapist and clients with a vast variety of healing tools.
Massage as a healing method was in use in China around 3000BC. The Chinese style of massage, called 'amma' (meaning “push-pull”), is regarded as the precursor to all current manual and energetic therapies (Salvo, 2007). Amma massage aims to balance the energy flow in a client's body and to address specific medical conditions. Nutritional advice, herbal therapies and other suggestions for healthy living forms part of an 'amma' massage. The massage is given over clothing and consists of deep tissue manipulation on specific pressure points of the body (Smith, 2009).
Knowledge of massage spread from China to India and became a part of the Hindu healing practices. The practice of healing touch, Ayervedic medicine, used by the Hindus is regarded as the basis of holistic medicine and focuses not only on healing the body, but also the mind and spirit (Salvo, 2007).
By the 6th century, the practice of massage had spread to Japan, where shiatsu (finger pressure) a component of 'amma' was commonly practiced. The Japanese used the Chinese concept of energy points and massaged these to bring balance between the mind and body (Salvo, 2007).
The ancient Egyptians also practiced foot massage (the modern reflexology) as depicted in archeological evidence.
In the Western world, the concepts of health and medicine started to evolve around 700 – 600 BC. The Greeks and Romans adopted massage and other healing practices from Egypt and the East. The Greek physician, Hippocrates (460 – 377 BC) was a great believer in massage and wrote “the physician must be skilled in many things and particularly friction” (Salvo, 2007, pg 6). He called his art 'anatripsis', which means 'to rub up' (Fritz, 2007, p 14). Hippocrates also changed the direction and technique of massage - his strokes were directed towards the heart to encourage the elimination of waste products, whereas the Eastern shamans and priests massaged their patients from the core of the body towards the limbs (Salvo, 2007).
The medical knowledge of the Greeks spread to the Roman world. Galen, (AD 130 – 200), a Roman physician, also promoted the use of massage and linked touch to human anatomy and physiology (Salvo, 2007). He described many massage techniques, and their application to health and well-being. Galen studied the effect of massage by looking at the influence of massage on athletes, both pre- and post-event, thereby associating massage with sports, as well as health (Elluminate, 2009).
During the Middle Ages, midwives and folk healers, kept the art of massage alive and it was passed on as a healing art form. When William Harvey proved that blood circulated through the body, it gave massage as a therapy more credibility and massage gradually became a popular treatment option in Europe (Salvo, 2007).
The modern massage era started in the early nineteenth century. During this time, Pehr Henrik Ling (1776 – 1839), a Swedish physiologist, developed the Swedish movement cure which used active and passive movements and massage. Ling's therapeutic movements were designed to improve circulation, ease muscle pain, increase flexibility and encourage relaxation.
Johann Mezger (1817 – 1893), a Dutch physician, also practiced the Swedish movement cure and made massage an integral part of physical rehabilitation. He used the French massage terms such as effleurage, petrissage and tapotement. Having a medical and scientific background, he was successful in getting massage accepted by physicians as a form of medical treatment (Salvo, 2007).
Massage spread to the United States by European immigrants. Dr John Harvey Kellog (1852 – 1943) wrote articles and textbooks on massage and also published a magazine, 'Good Health' (Fritz, 2004).
Then followed the massage scandals of the late 1800s. Fritz correctly states that massage was 'a victim of its own success' (Fritz, 2004, p16). Inconsistent quality, unsubstantiated and unethical claims and high fees, a lack of standards and unregulated training institutions eroded physicians' confidence in massage. In an article in the British Medical Journal (1894) the advertising of some massage treatments in the local papers were called 'sufficiently suggestive' and were seen as 'lures and touts of places of execrable character'.
Criticism by the medical profession eroded the public's confidence in massage. This lead to the formation of a British Society of Trained Masseuses which was later called the Chartered Society of Massage and Medical Gymnastics. This Society issued certificates of competence to massage practitioners to help raise the profile of the profession.
Modern times have seen the development of different facets of massage. One of the leading pioneers in the diagnosis and treatment of myofascial pain, was Janet G. Travell, MD (1901-1997). She single-handedly created this branch of medicine. Trigger point massage still is the most effective treatment option for massage therapists for relief of pain (Janet G. Travell, M.D. The Mother of Myofascial-Trigger Point Knowledge, n.d.)
Dr Emil Vodder (1896 – 1986) and his wife, developed a gentle massage technique called Manual Lymphatic Drainage, which encourages the natural circulation of lymph throughout the body. They introduced this technique in 1936 in Paris and it is now the main form of management of lymhoedaemia.
Cross friction massage (CFM) was developed by James Cyriax (1904 – 1985), also called the 'Father of Orthopaedic Medicine'. According to Junkill (2005), Cyriax developed comprehensive range of motion assessments. His techniques involved deep tissue massage using no lubricant and is still one of the best rehabilitation techniques for some sport injuries.
Massage in New Zealand has seen many changes. To ensure adequate training, a massage department was formed at the Dunedin Hospital 1913. In 1947 the massage school became the School of Physiotherapy. Those wanting to practice massage had to adhere to the Physiotherapy Act which required them to do 600 hours of training. Physiotherapy superseded massage therapy for many years, but in recent years the massage therapy field has undergone a resurgence.
The Massage Institution of New Zealand (MINZI) was founded in 1985 in Auckland with the focus on the education and standard of massage therapists. In 1989, Jim Sandford established the New Zealand Association of Therapeutic Massage Practitioners. Their focus was on educational standards, the professional image of practitioners and the distribution of information. In 2007 this Association merged with MINZI to become Massage New Zealand. This organisation supports registered members and act as a voice for the profession.
Maori healers in New Zealand are not bound by an association. The Maori do 'miri miri', a healing practice that takes the physical, spiritual and mental health of a person into account, as well as the health of the client's family. They use three forms of massage, namely romiromi (where squeezing and pinching strokes are performed with the elbows, hands, feet, knees and sticks), toto (infant massage) and takahi (walking on body parts to relieve muscle stiffness or other injuries). (Tuchtan et al, 2004). Massage is part of the Maori way of life and is passed down the generations. It is a holistic form of treatment - the whole person is treated (body, mind and spirit) with herbal medicine, massage, counselling etc.).
Western massage is still mainly based on symptoms and the cause of these are mainly related back to anatomical structure, posture or injury. There is a lot of emphasis on bodywork and movement in the Western world – these are reflected in the Reiki, Feldenkrais and Pilates modalities. However, with the 'body-spirit-mind” movement growing stronger, a more holistic approach is being promoted that hopefully will lead to a more comprehensive approach.
In the Eastern world, massage is based around the flow of energy (chi) in the body-mind-spirit concept. The aim is to restore balance to the client's life force. These methods are for example, reflexology, shiatsu and traditional Chinese massage.
In conclusion then, the history of massage is ancient, clearly intricate and full of variety. The East and West have met on many fronts and blended to some extent. However, in order to provide clients with the best possible options, I need to see them as comprised of a body, soul and spirit and focus on all their needs, not only the physical symptoms. For complete healing, it is imperative to not only treat the body but the whole person. I need to ensure that my clients' needs are fully met and be willing to refer them to other health practitioners for assistance in areas which are outside my scope of practice.
Reference List
British Medical Journal. 1894 November 3: 2 (1766): 1003-1004. Retrieved on 29 August, 2009, from http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/pagerender.fcgi?artid=2405274&pageindex=1
Calvert, R. N. (2002). The History of Massage. Vermont: Healing Arts Press
Fritz, S. (2004). Mosby’s Fundamentals of Therapeutic Massage (3rd Ed). St. Louis: Mosby.
Janet G. Travell, M.D. The Mother of Myofascial-Trigger Point Knowledge.Retrieved on August 28, 2009, from http://www.pain-education.com
Junkill, J. (2005). Friction Massage. Retrieved on August 27, 2009, from http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1717584
McQuillan, D. (2008). A History of Massage in New Zealand. Retrieved on September 1, 2009, from http://www.wikieducator.org/A_History_of_Massage_in_New_Zealand
Salvo, S. (2007). Massage Therapy: Principles and Practice (3rd Ed). Saunders: Mosby.
Smith, S.E. (2009). What is Amma massage? Retrieved on August 27, 2009, from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-amma-massage.htm
Tuchtan, C., Tuchtan, V., & Stelfox, D. (2004). Foundations of Massage. Australia: Churchill Livingstone/Elsevier.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)