History of Massage & Hours

Massage has gone clear back to the Ancient times of the world, when our Ancient ancestors were building extraordinary monoliths that have withstood the tests of time. Below is a quick timeline of the major events in our history that has effected massage for good or ill. Hope you enjoy a brief history to better understand the medical impact massage has had on our lives, whether you knew it or not!

5000BCE: Egyptians use of early massage modalities in the form of Hieroglyphics as a form of medical relief.

3000BCE: Chinese begin using Massage, also known as "Amma" for health maintenance.

220-237 AD: Emperor Constantine forces Rome to convert to Christianity. Beginning the signs of the Dark Ages. Destroying all the Baths/Gymnasiums because of the widespread abuses of a sexual nature.

475-1450: Massage was abandoned in all medical institutions because of the negative impact that some massage schools offering sexual favors had on the profession.

1450-1600: The Renaissance: Positive effects of massage was reestablished and the professions integrity was on the rise once again.

1800: Brought another decline in the profession due to places using massage as a means to prostitution. And the term "Happy Endings" which is sadly used still today.

1825: Per Henrick Ling develops modern Physical Therapy

1858: Charles & George Taylor introduce Swedish Movement Cure to the USA. Now known as Swedish Massage. 

1875: Dr. Douglas Graham popularized the term "Massage" & Founding member of the American Physical Educations Association.

1936: Dr. Emil & Astrid Vodder develop Manual Lymph Drainage.

1940: Elizabeth Dicke develops Bindegewebmassage or Connective Tissue Massage.

1943: AAMM Founded. "American Association of Massures & Massuses"

1952: Dr. James Cryiax develops Deep Transverse Friction. It will make you cry with joy!

1958: AAMM becomes todays AMTA "American Massage Therapy Association"

1960's: Also known as the "Hippie Era" brings about another Renaissance of Massage to the USA bringing more credibility of the medical benefits to massage therapy.

1970's: John Barnes introduces Myofascial Release. And Paul St. John introduces Neuromuscular Techniques to massage.

1971: Ida Rolf introduces "Rolfing" to massage. A technique that aligns the major body segments through stretching of the fascia or connective tissue in the body.

1984: Sports Massage, developed by Jack Meiger, is offered in the US Olympics for first time.

1985: David Palmer introduces Chair Massage.

1987: ABMP is established. "American Bodywork & Massage Professionals"

1990: The National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork Established

1992: 1st National Certification Exam is established.

I hope this has enlightened you to some of the key points in history of massage. I don't want to bore you with too much information of the History of Massage, but this should give you a better understanding of just how much hard work and dedication that people have had into developing different modalities and techniques to massage that you enjoy today. The medical, emotional, spiritual benefits to massage is so immense that it is hard to list all of them!