About Massage

Massage as part of primary health care is centuries old, first being written about in China in about 5,000 B.C. It has many health benefits, and it is relaxing and feels very good to receive. Swedish Massage as we know it was codified by Pehr Henrik Ling (1776 - 1839), a Swedish physiologist and gymnastics instructor. He took the long-existing system of massage strokes and gave them concrete definitions and French names, such as effleurage (gliding along the skin), petrissage (rolling, kneading, squeezing of the tissues), and tapotement (tapping, slapping, rhythmic thumping - this is what you see in the James Bond movies). In addition, he codified a system of Swedish Gynmastics (range of motion exercises) that are still in use and are taught as part of the standard curriculum in massage and physical therapy schools. Pehr Henrik Ling is considered to be the father of both the disciplines of Massage Therapy, and also of Physical Therapy.

• What are the benefits of massage?
• What is stress, why is it harmful, and how does massage help?


• When is it helpful to receive a massage?


• When is massage not recommended?


• I've never had a massage! What is it like?


• How will I feel after a relaxation massage?


• How will I feel after a Deep Tissue massage?


• What is "Orthopedic Massage"?

For more detailed information, here is a description of many of the massage modalities and therapies that we use.