History of Massage

The French colonists in India first used the term “massage” during 1761-
1773, and included it for the first time in 1812 in a French-German dictionary.
This accounts for the widespread use of French words in massage terminology.
However, it’s uses were known from very ancient times.
Initially there was a dispute regarding the origin of this word. Few authors
claimed it derived from the Arab word—Mass (to touch), others said it was from
the Greek word—Massein (to knead). The Hebrew word—Mashesh (to touch, to
feel, to grasp), and the Sanskrit word—Makesh (to strike, to press) were also said
to have been the original from which the word massage came.
The Practice of massage has been mentioned in all the recorded ancient
civilisations.
In India, the uses of massage were well known long before its modern
name came into being. In Sanskrit literature it is known as Champan or Mardan
as well as abhyang.
History of massage in twentieth century was dominated by the
development of new techniques and new systems namely,
— Sports massage — Connective tissue massage
— Reflex massage — Acupressure
— Periosteal massage — External cardiac massage
Massage was taught in the schools of physiotherapy, medical gymnastics
and the schools of massage. In this century the well known figures in the field of
massage were Rosenthal, Cyriax, Graham and Mennell. Rosenthal gave scientific
ground to massage and manipulation and is accredited for reintroduction of
massage into mainline medical practice. Cyriax advocated the use of deep
friction in periarticular lesions. Terrier combined massage and manipulative
therapy more intimately and termed it as manipulative massage. While the
diversity of technique increased manifold its uses in therapy was diminished
throughout the world in the first half of the twentieth century. In fact the history
of massage has been dominated by a love-hate relationship between medical
establishment and other groups who practice these techniques. Throughout the
world, the so-called fitness centres, health clubs and massage parlours have
been mushrooming up where untrained people unethically practice some of the
technique of massage as a mode of luxurious comfort. These centres have given
a very bad publicity to this ancient mode of treatment. It is due to this, that in
the late 1960s and 1970s, the soft tissue manipulation has been entered in the
vocabulary of some physiotherapists in lieu of the term massage.
Massage therapy has been subjected to alternating period of advocacy
and denigration and current phase is one that of denigration. The development
of pharmacological industries, intervention of new adjuncts in physical therapy,
i.e. SWD, US, traction, IFT, etc. and moreover, the dehumanisation of the patient
and therapist relationship can be enumerated as few factors responsible for this
state.
However, in the present era when the technological and pharmacological
advances are fast approaching toward zenith, their limitations and drawbacks
have also become the cause of concern for medical and nonmedical world. An
increasing number of people throughout the world are now moving toward the
drugless approaches of treatment. The trend of disease pattern is also
witnessing a rapid change. Today man is subjected to far greater stress and strain
than at any time in the history. Technological and economic advancement has
created a pace and life style, which an individual often finds difficult to
synchronise with. The incidence of stress, anxiety and psychosomatic diseases
are increasing at alarming rates. In this changing scenario the role of human
touch, in combating the dehumanisation of modernity, is fast receiving attention.
The physiological and psychological effects of massage can offer a solution to
majority of these problems, if combined appropriately with other approaches.
Despite fluctuations in the support of massage, the utility of a few of its
techniques in the management of certain type of soft tissue lesions have always
been acknowledged. In these conditions, their effectiveness has been proved
beyond doubts.