What is Swedish Massage?
Swedish massage is a technique using deep tissue massage to help loosen muscles and aid with muscular aches and pains. Some people enjoy a lighter version also.
Various massaging techniques used are effleurage (stroking), petrissage (kneading), friction (cross fibre rubbing), tapotement (tapping) and vibration/shaking.
The History of Swedish Massage
Swedish massage was not developed inSweden, nor was it developed by a Swede. If you travel to Sweden they do not recognise Swedish massage, instead you would need to request a “classic massage”. Swedish massage is only recognised in English or Dutch speaking countries and is known as “classic massage” elsewhere.
Although it is believe that Swedish massage was founded by Peter Henry Ling (1776 – 1837), a Swedish physiologist, it is far from the truth. Peter Henry Ling went to USA in 1858 and introduced “The Swedish Movement Cure” for gymnasts. However, Swedish massage was not part of his Swedish Gymnastic Movements nor the curriculum of the Royal Central Gymnastic Institute founded by Ling in 1813.
Peter Henry Ling was not able to describe the movements used with terminology we recognise today. It was a Dutch practitioner Johan Georg Mezger (1838-1909), who researched the origins of massage and gymnastics, and therefore adopting French names to describe the basic stokes of the systemised massage we know today.
The French terms are – effleurage, petrissage, frictions and tapotement – which were never used by Peter Henry Ling.
The mix up with this has been linked to Peter Henry Ling’s systems called Swedish Movement System or Swedish Gymnastic Movement System, which some how transposed to Swedish Massage.
This “classic massage” technique is the foundation for other types of massage which include aromatherapy massage and sports massage.
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