Deep Tissue Massage History

There is a lot to deep tissue massage history than its known. So let's see how it has developed through ages. In the early period it was the Chinese who came up with the idea of curing illnesses with deep tissue massages. Many methods were mixed up with medicine to come up with feasible treatment for many illnesses. We now know that in some ways even the ancient Egyptians were into massage therapy. Egypt has been known to have developed the very popular Reflexology which, they believe, can actually be very effective for the human body if applied to proper places. It also was extremely known all through India as Ayurveda was developed there around 1500 BC. According to this concept if you take care of your body and are satisfied with it, Mother Nature is going to start taking care of you. All the five senses are involved when you are applying this technique.

500CE-1500 BCE

It was the Japanese monks who came to know about the various Chinese methods of deep issue massage while learning about Buddhism during visits to China in 1000 BCE. They now call the version that they use shiatsu. This concept basically works on stimulating the energy in the body, which eventually strengthens the organs and helps them to be more resistant to illness. It became a household name in the 20th century when Tokujiro Namikoshi began a school to teach methods of shiatsu. Around 800 BCE, the Greeks started their own brand of deep tissue massage in order to help their struggling athletes, regain their confidence. The Greeks when one step ahead, they used massages to get good sleep and to meet their Gods in their sleep! Galen, a physician used to treat wounds gladiators acquired during their many games. Many of the poor people did not have a lot of his attention but of course could get some of his services in the public baths as Roman citizens were amongst the first to discover the leisure and many benefits of bathing and receiving a full body massage with aromatherapy oils.

1600-1900 CE

Now during this time period deep tissue massage therapy was largely unpracticed as more advanced medical pharmaceuticals and technologies started to get developed. But then, Pehr Henrik Ling developed the techniques to treat himself for rheumatism that Swedish massage was developed - then known as Swedish medical gymnastics. In 1813, they got a government grant to even start the Royal Gymnastic Central Institute in Stockholm. This institution basically imparted the knowledge of how to conduct a deep tissue therapy.

1900 CE to the present

During the World War I and World War II deep tissue massage was used to rejuvenate and relax the soldiers as well in some cases treat their wounds. The physiotherapy clinics in the U.S. treated roughly 75,000 men who were disabled while fighting in World War I. During World War II, soldiers having post-traumatic stress disorder were also treated by massage therapy.

Throughout history, massage therapy has been used to treat illnesses and for muscle relaxation. Nowadays it is more often used for correcting long-term health problems and illnesses.