Massage
The History of Massage
Did you know massage therapy is over 5000 years old?
In around 3000 BCE in India, massage was a sacred system of natural healing known as Ayurveda which was used to heal injuries, relieve pain and prevent and cure illnesses. It was thought at disease was caused by an imbalance or deficiency of energy. It was later seen in 2700 BCE in China and SouthEast Asia where massage was combined with martial arts and yoga. The Yellow Emperor's Classic Book of Internal Medicine (which you can still buy on Amazon) was developed by the Ancient Chinese and is still considered an important text showing how massage, acupuncture, acupressure and herbs could be used to treat people.
Massage had made its way to Egypt in around 2500 BCE which has been seen in tomb paintings. Later in 1000 BCE Buddhists Monks brought massage to Japan where the Japanese developed their own technique of Shiatsu.
Around 800 BCE, massage was used in Greece to help condition athletes prior to competitions. Herbs and oils would often be applied to help treat medical conditions.
Treatments
Massage (Sports & Holistic)
Muscle Energy Techniques
Kinesiotaping
Hippocrates is referred to the "Father of Medicine" and he treated physical injuries with massage alongside diet, exercise, music and fresh air.
During the 17th Century, modern medicine took over and a decline in massage and other traditional techniques was seen. However during the 1800's, Ling, a Swedish Doctor developed a massage technique to help treat medical conditions along with movement. This has been further developed in to 'Swedish Massage'. During the 1800's, massage continued to be used by 'Rubbers' in hospitals to help patients with orthopedic issues.
Moving on into the 20th & 21st century, massage was combined with the knowledge of anatomy and physiology and exercises to create physiotherapy! Swedish massage is the base of all massage techniques, the basics of massage is that we improve blood flow to the tissues via pressure. Blood carries all the nutrients we need to supply and repair the tissues and also encourages lymph flow to remove waste materials and swelling, this speeds recovery. Pressure also causes a stretch on the tissues helping them to relax via a process called the stretch reflex.
The Benefits of Massage
Massage is the natural way to kickstart the body's healing mechanisms. It...
Increases blood circulation
Reduces tension, spasms and trigger points
Improve immune function
Reduces swellings and improves the lymphatic system.
Break down adhesions and scar tissue
Increases joint range of motion
Improves muscle flexibility
Improves healing abilities
Promotes relaxation for mind and body
Helps with stress
Improving posture
Helps with acute and chronic injuries
Massage has been shown to boost the immune system, engage the parasympathetic nervous system, reduce cortisol (stress hormone) levels and manage pain.
Holistic Massage
While providing the usual physical benefits of massage, holistic massage aims to also promote mental wellbeing by developing...
Relaxation
Relief from stress and nervousness
Relief from chronic pain caused by long-standing emotional tension
Improvement in mood and energy levels
I used aromatherapy based waxes from Songbird Naturals with sessions running from 30 mins - 90 mins.
Sports Massage
Sports massage is often wrongly thought of as painful or just for sports people. It actually has a more clinical approach than other forms of massage with a more prominent aim of restoring function. It aims to..
Promote relief from acute and chronic conditions
Reducing muscle soreness
Help with recovery from injury
Restore movement
Improving poor posture
Preparation for a sporting event
Pain levels are always kept within the limits of the client and treatments are available to everyone whether they are active or not. I either deliver these sessions solely using Sports Massage or I will combine with other techniques.