Massage has a long history and has evolved over the centuries as different cultures interact and share techniques, ideas and scientific theories. Ancient Chinese, Indian and Egyptian medicine incorporated forms of massage, and this approach to health spread to European countries over the centuries. By the nineteenth century, massage was becoming a more recognized and popular form of treatment, and methods were systematized by doctors such as Per Henrik Ling (from Sweden, hence the term ‘Swedish’ massage), Johan Georg Mezger and George Taylor. Over the past few decades, more and more scientific research has been carried out to investigate the many potential benefits of massage on the body and mind, and it is now a widely-accepted form of therapy.
