| About Massage Therapy What Is Massage Therapy? Is Massage Therapy Right for Me? How Do I Choose? | Glossary Treatment Applications Types of Massage Therapy Credentials |
What Is Massage?
If you suffer aching muscles or poor circulation, therapeutic massage may be the solution. First used over 3,000 years ago by the Chinese, massage therapy has made its way through other ancient cultures, including the Greeks, Japanese, Egyptians, Romans, and Arabs. But it was Swedish gymnastics instructor Per Henrik Ling who developed modern massage therapy in the early nineteenth century. The Swedish method combined exercise with massage to treat joint and muscle pain. In the 1850s, George and Charles Taylor, two brothers who studied massage in Sweden, brought this method to the U.S. Today it is a common treatment technique.
There are different types of hand movements used by massage therapists. Stroking, which can be light or hard, is meant to relax muscles and improve circulation. Compression—including kneading, squeezing, and friction—stretches muscles and tendons to facilitate movement. Percussion, repeatedly striking the massage point with the sides of the hands, improves circulation.
Almost everyone can benefit from massage—including infants, whose sleep-wake cycles can be regulated with a gentle massage at bedtime. However, individuals with fractures, infections, orthopedic conditions, or skin problems should wait until they have fully healed. Also, while prenatal massage may ease the discomforts of pregnancy, it may also induce labor. A doctor’s referral is recommended.
This 'Health Professionals Directory' is provided by Psychology Today and WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about health professionals. The Health Professionals Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any health professionals contained therein. Inclusion in the Health Professionals Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Health Professionals Directory imply Psychology Today or WebMD disapproval. You are prohibited from using, downloading, republishing, selling, duplicating, or "scraping," for commercial or any other purpose whatsoever, the Health Professionals Directory or any of the data listings or other information contained therein, in whole or in part, in any medium whatsoever.
The Health Professionals Directory is provided on an "AS-IS" basis. Psychology Today and WebMD disclaim all warranties, either express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for particular purpose. Without limiting the foregoing, Psychology Today and WebMD does not warrant or represent that the Health Professionals Directory or any part thereof is accurate or complete. You assume full responsibility for your communications with any health professional you contact through the Health Professionals Directory. Psychology Today and WebMD shall in no event be liable to you or to anyone else for any decision made or action taken by you in reliance on information provided in the Health Professionals Directory.
