Definition of therapeutic massage: manipulation of tissues (as by rubbing, stroking, kneading, or tappying) with the hand or an instrument particularly for therapeutic purposes. The term is derived from the Greek ‘masso’, to knead, and the Arabic ‘mass’, to press gently.

History of therapeutic massage tables: The Planet of Therapeutic massage Museum shows a Victorian therapeutic massage table from 1878, a vibrating massage desk manufactured in 1918. The phrase therapeutic massage table arrived sometime for the duration of the late nineteen twenties. Prior to that, gadgets utilized for therapeutic massage were called couches. The first massage tables ended up employed for the duration of the time of Greeks and Romans and have been produced of marble slabs known as plinths and limestone.

In the late 19th century, during the Victorian period, where the expression therapeutic massage couch was employed for massage tables that ended up items of furniture. They have been generally stuffed with horsehair and ended up upholstered with velvet or equivalent materials. Horse hair was employed as it was far more resistant than cotton. Then came the nineteen twenties, when therapeutic massage tables were developed in the United States. In the thirties, the 1st portable therapeutic massage table was designed, made of a wooden body with metallic or wooden legs. The encounter hole cut into the head appeared someday in the 1940s. A lot of practitioners adapted to George Downing’s tables from his nineteen sixties guide, “The Massage E-book”, which incorporated home made versions which had been copied for the subsequent ten years till the seventies when they had been commercially made and easily offered.

The Battlecreek Firm manufactured the very first gentle-fat massage desk, introducing their aluminum folding moveable table in the 1950s. The experience cradle, which attaches to the conclude of the therapeutic massage table was initial introduced in the 1980s. The initial tables ended up manufactured of wooden and vinyl coated foam padding. Now current types are ergonomically developed with multilayered padding and appear in a range of variations and colours. Specialty tables are accessible, this sort of as people for pregnant ladies, performing special bodywork that calls for an added extensive tabletop, among the several alternatives accessible in present-day industry. Therapeutic massage table tops are easily cleaned and is no longer a issue with hygiene. They are also drinking water/oil resistant and tough. Nowadays, most substantial top quality therapeutic massage tables are being created in the United States.

Heritage of therapeutic massage: The oldest written document of therapeutic massage is roughly 4000 many years old. It was identified in a Chinese health-related textual content, dated at all around 1800 BC. Hippocrates of Cos (460 to 380 B.C.), the father of medicine and writer of the Hippocratic Oath, wrote “the doctor need to be experienced in numerous items but assuredly also in rubbing (anatripses) for items that have the exact same title have not always the very same effects. For rubbing can bind sensual massage that is as well loose and loosen a joint that is too rigid… Rubbing can bind and loosen can make flesh (referring to the ability to tone muscle mass tissue) and cause elements to squander (soften and chill out). Hard rubbing binds delicate rubbing loosens much rubbing leads to components to waste reasonable rubbing tends to make them develop.” Europe turned away teachings during the Dark Ages.

Pehr Heinrick Ling, from Sweden, utilised his operate in guide therapy with athletes specially gymnasts, which led to his growth and investigation of delicate tissue method recognized as Swedish Therapeutic massage. He was regarded as the ‘father of present day massage’. There are currently above 70 therapeutic massage modalities practiced in the United States. Between them are Stone Massage, Reflexology, Pregnancy Massage, Thai Yoga Bodywork, Craniosacral Treatment, and many others. There are different types of therapeutic massage, including the typical kinds: Swedish massage, deep therapeutic massage, sporting activities therapeutic massage, cause position massage. Today, there is a steady increase in ‘preventative medicine’ exactly where modalities this sort of as therapeutic massage, yoga, acupuncture, nutrition, have taken place in American’s great wellness exercise.