Swedish Massage
There is nothing more natural and instinctual than massage. When we run into a coffee table or stub a toe on a door, our response almost always includes holding or rubbing the area that is in pain. The most basic massage, what we do without even thinking about it, seems to have existed for as long as mankind has been on the planet.
These automatic reactions to pain have, over the millennia, been developed into the modern massage modalities that are practiced all over the world today. The word massage itself is believed to come from ancient sources; from the Greek word “massein” meaning “to knead” and the Arabic word “mas’h” which means “to press gently (or softly).”
The modern method known as Swedish massage is attributed to Pehr Ling Henrik (1776 – 1839), an educator, doctor and writer, however he did not invent the Swedish Massage, nor did he ever use the term massage in his lifetime, calling it “active – passive movements”. In Sweden his method, and those based on it became known as “classic massage”.
The terms used most commonly in Swedish massage, effleurage, petrissage and tapotement, were not coined by Pehr Ling either. They were adopted from French terms for the strokes by Dr. John Mezger of Holland near the same time as Ling developed his healing system.
Professor Ling suffered from debilitating rheumatoid arthritis and used himself as a test subject in the development of his massage technique. During his lifetime, Ling experimented with many techniques until he developed the first documented, organized, modern day coherent system in the Western world. This routine is based on the scientific knowledge and existing massage movements of his time, as well as his own experiences with gymnastic movements and stretches. Over time, he perfected the protocol and in the process, cured himself of his disability.
Ling was a fencing master and his love for the sport can still be seen today in the stances used for Swedish massage; the fencing (or archer) stance and the horse stance. As an avid believer in physical education and therapy, in 1813 Ling established the Royal Central Institute of Gymnastics, with the assistance of the government. It was the first college to include massage in its educational program.
In 1894 – 1895 a society of trained masseuses was formed in England so that a standard massage training program could grow in Europe. After Ling’s death, European doctors developed a medical massage based on his teachings. It was in his honor that they often referred to their system as “Swedish Massage”, giving Ling credit for his contribution.
“We ought not to consider the organs of the body as the lifeless forms of a mechanical mass, but as the living, active instruments of the soul,” Ling wrote. He taught the importance of more than the mere mechanics of the body, but it’s interconnectedness.
The body reacts to massage in two primary ways, the physical, mechanical response and the reflex response. By stretching and massaging the muscles and soft tissue, metabolic waste deposits in the body are broken down, fibrous tissue is broken up and joints become looser. These are all physical responses.
Reflex responses occur when working on one part of the body and another area of the body benefits. For example, relieving tension in the neck can alleviate a migraine that was felt primarily behind an eye, or working on the low back may resolve pain felt in the legs. These reflex responses help to show that the body is not merely connected by flesh and bone, but also by nerve pathways and energy meridians.
The primary goal of Swedish massage is to provide therapeutic benefit to the client through detoxification and oxygenation. Strokes used are designed to flush toxins from the cells of the body and speed the process of sending fresh, oxygen and nutrient rich blood back to those cells. Clearing toxins from the body is believed to assist the flow of lymphatic fluid, leading to improved immunity and resistance to disease.
The Swedish protocol includes a variety of strokes and stretches. Some are designed to remove tension and improve circulation, others are used to break up scar tissue, lengthen tendons or keep ligaments pliable. Research has shown that massage provides many additional benefits, including improved digestion, help for insomnia and the alleviation of mild depression. The Wales Depression Alliance recommends regular massage for their members.
Thirty minutes of massage has been shown in tests, to lower blood pressure by as much as twenty points. Swedish massage has been proven to reduce the amount of the stress hormone cortisol in the body. In addition, the body releases endorphins during a massage, producing a natural sense of well being. This has been shown to dramatically help arthritis sufferers who have been unable to exercise regularly because of their condition.
Currently, massage is one of the fastest growing areas in the health care arena, with Swedish massage being taught as the core program at the majority of schools in the United States. The Swedish movements provide such wonderful benefits that many therapists use them exclusively.
For those who are interested in different or deeper techniques, knowledge of Swedish massage remains key to success. Swedish massage provides the foundation and building blocks of many other protocols currently used. In addition, the technique is often used to warm up and prepare the tissue for other, deeper modalities of massage. No matter where you want to end up as a therapist, Swedish massage is the strong beginning you can depend on to get you there.
