Is Swedish Massage Really From Sweden?
Here in America we like to classify things based on their origin. French fries, Chinese checkers, English muffins, Turkish baths, Danish pastries, Canadian bacon, etc. (Sure is a lot of food in this list!) For the most part, these items or practices did, in fact, originate in the country specified. But in the case of Swedish massage, the association with Sweden may be a complete misrepresentation of the true source of this therapy. Swedish Massage is, by far, the most popular form of massage in the United States. This type of massage is intended to increase oxygen in the blood and remove toxins from muscles. This is accomplished by using a variety of techniques that apply pressure to surface muscles with movements that follow the direction of blood flow to the heart. The result is improved circulation, reduced stress, relaxed muscles, greater flexibility and improved overall health and wellness. Who is Pehr Henrik Ling? Traditionally, the development of the techniques of Swedish massag
