Massage history

“The natural healing power that resides in each and every one of us is the deepest health source.” , Hippocrates

Massage was established in high antiquity and has been developed alongside other folk medicine methods. According to some data, primitive tribes that lived on islands of the Pacific already used massage. It was also a mainstream among Indonesian tribes. Already then massage contained rumpling, pressing, rubbing and stroking. According to reliable sources, people who wanted to ease the pain traumas place used rubbing and slapping.

According to literary sources, in ancient China massage had already been known 2500 B.C. At that time there were healing gymnastics schools, in which doctors were prepared for using acupuncture, massage and healing gymnastics.

600 B.C. there was world’s first national institute established in China, where students had massage as a stringent discipline.

In ancient China many provinces had healing-gymnastics schools where special taosse doctors were educated for using acupuncture, massage and healing gymnastics.

In 16-th century an encyclopedia was released in China that consisted of 64 parts with detailed explanations of all massage ways that are still used today.

In India 1800 B.C. medical treatises that are generally known as “Ajurvedos” (“Life exploration”) contained detailed explanations of massage ways and technical variations for different body parts. The works of Sushruta were known and acknowledged far away from India; they contained detailed information how to perform rubbing, pressing, various examples of massage ways were given being ill with different diseases. In India massage was used in various cases of life: ailing, snake bite, tiredness and especially traumas.

Massage was also known in Korea and Japan. In Japan it was used as self-massage on head and neck area especially while experiencing headache.

In Egypt massage was known already before our era. It is evinced by notes and paintings on pyramids and remained papyrus, where massaging people are depicted.

In Greece term “apaterapija” was considered as not only healing, hygienic, but also sports massage. Massage was one of medical elements of that time. The first expert of massage was Herodotus, who always used to practice massage on himself and he was well-built. He was one of the first who tried to explore the influence of massage on healing various diseases. A big contribution to massage formation belongs to the father of medicine, Hippocrates. He is the beginner of using massage as a healing method in Europe. Ancient Greeks paid a huge attention to hygienic and cosmetic massages, there even were special salons.

Bathhouses were very popular, where massage was a stringent procedure, after which fragrant oil was applied on the body.

The popularity of massage reached its peak in the Roman Empire doctor’s Asklepiado period first century B.C. Ancient Roman doctor Eusklepijus sorted massages into certain groups: dry, with oil, weak, strong, short-term and long-term. He used massage together with active and passive exercises to cure obesity.

The massage that was practiced in Middle of Asia was extremely different from the classical Greek and Roman one. It was performed not only with hands, but with feet as well. Swedish teacher of physical culture P. Lingas systemized the ways of massage. His methods are known as “Swedish massage”.

In antebellum independent Lithuania, the first massage courses were opened February 21, 1921. It was run by V. Kuzma.

In 1937 special courses were established that prepared the specialists of massage and healing gymnastics. There were also private massage salons in antebellum independent Lithuania.

Massage was used for healing in public and private medical facilities as well as for personal training of professional sportsmen.
After WWII, massage courses were established for nurses in Lithuania. The first courses in Druskininkai were run by K. Dineika. Later courses were established in Vilnius, Palanga and Kaunas.