Massage therapy started to become popular in the United States in the middle part of the 19th century and was introduced by two New York physicians based on Per Henrik Ling’s techniques developed in Sweden.

 

During the 1930s and 1940s massage’s influence decreased as a result of medical advancements of the time, while in the 1970s massage’s influence grew once again with a notable rise among athletes. Massage was used up until the 1960s and 1970s by nurses to help ease patients’ pain and help them sleep.

 

At Body N Balance of Wantagh, Long Island we offer a variety of different massages. We offer the common Swedish, Deep Tissue and other specialty massages. The Swedish massage is great for relaxation and to improve circulation. If you need to break away from the every day stresses of life, come on down to Body N Balance to relax at our spa! We also offer facials and body treatments that can help you relax. Relaxation is great for the healing of the body inside and out.

 

Swedish massage uses five styles of long, flowing strokes to massage. The five basic strokes are effleurage (sliding or gliding), petrissage (kneading), tapotement (rhythmic tapping), friction (cross fiber) and vibration/shaking. Swedish massage has shown to be helpful in reducing pain, joint stiffness, and improving function in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee over a period of eight weeks. The development of Swedish massage is often inaccurately credited to Per Henrik Ling, though the Dutch practitioner Johan Georg Mezger adopted the French names to denote the basic strokes.

 

The term “Swedish” massage is actually only recognized in English and Dutch speaking countries, and in Hungary. Elsewhere (including Sweden) the style is referred to as “classic massage”.