Massage

A brief history:

Massage dates back some 5000+ years in ancient India, where it was considered a sacred system of natural healing. Used by Hindus in Ayurveda “life health” medicine, massage therapy was a practice passed down through generations to heal injuries, relieve pain, and prevent and cure illnesses. As culture and history evolved, the healing methods of massage traveled to China and Southeast Asia about 300 years later. Chinese massage methods developed as a combination of skills and practices of traditional Chinese medicine, martial arts and the spiritual yoga training of Buddhists and Taoists.By 2500 BCE, massage therapy had made its way to Egypt. Later, monks studying Buddhism in China brought massage therapy to Japan around 1000 BCE.

The Egyptians influenced the Greeks and Romans who used massage therapy in different ways. In Greece, between 800 and 700 BCE, athletes used massage to condition their bodies before competitions, and doctors often applied herbs and oils in combination with massage to treat various medical conditions. Hippocrates, the “father of medicine,” treated physical injuries in the 5th Century BCE with friction, a massage technique, and was the first to prescribe a combination of massage, proper diet, exercise, fresh air and music to restore health imbalance – a remedy we hear of even today.

The popularity of massage therapy declined in the West until the 17th Century, when new discoveries in pharmacology and medical technology changed modern medicine.

In the early 1800s, Swedish doctor/gymnast/teacher Per Henrik Ling created a method that became known as the Swedish Movement Cure (now known as Swedish Massage) to help relieve chronic pain.

The demand for masseurs and masseuses increased in the early 1900s. By the 1930s, Swedish massage had evolved, and the physiotherapists who used it in regular medicine helped massage therapy to become a legitimate and respectable form of medicine.Once physical therapy was licensed in the 1950s, massage therapy had its own category. The American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) was established and laid the groundwork for today’s massage practitioners by establishing ethics and education standards.Between 1970 and 2000, massage therapy experienced a transformation, as people chose to live healthier lifestyles and preferred more holistic approaches to health care, pain management and restoring and maintaining healthy bodies. Today, many realize that “massage is good medicine.”

I have practiced Massage Therapy in some fashion since 2005 when I became certified with California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC). I started working for a local chiropractor, then continued to build my private practice in conjunction with personal training. In 2007, I was selected as massage therapist (soigneur) to work for USA Cycling,and traveled internationally with the BMX program for the Olympic hopefuls (2007-2012). This was a valuable experience as I realized that massage is far more that just laying on a table and getting “fixed.” I realized that a much more powerful approach for better outcomes is to have the athlete/client/patient take an active role in their therapy/recovery.

I enjoy teaching my customers various techniques, like stretching and mobility, self-massage skills, breathing, and other fitness based modalities that allow them to essentially become their own therapist and resolve problematic issues.

Call to set up an appointment (530) 604-6789

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