| P O Box 67 Galloway, Ohio 43119-0067 614.446.9972 melody@barefootpath.org |
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| forms of medical care, dating back to the pharaohs of ancient Egypt. Its vital role in healthcare was universal. In 2700 BC, a Chinese book of internal medicine recommended “the massage of skin and flesh”. More than two thousand years later, Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, wrote that “the physician must be acquainted with many things and assuredly with rubbing” (the ancient Greek word for massage). Today, the term massage therapy is used to describe the manipulation of soft tissue (muscles, skin and/or tendons) by fingertips, hands, fists, elbows and even feet. Bodywork is a general term for manual techniques that involve touch and movement and are used to promote health and healing. Almost a quarter of all American adults have received at least one massage in the past twelve months. And the number continues to grow as more and more people discover the benefits of massage – for relaxation, rehabilitation and rejuvenation. Many people think of it as a luxury, but massage is much more than simple relaxation. The therapeutic benefits of massage continue to be studied, but research has shown massage to be effective in decreasing pain, reducing anxiety & stress, improving range of motion, improving circulation, decreasing carpal tunnel symptoms, reducing muscle soreness, boosting the immune system, decreasing symptoms of depression, relieving back pain, promoting tissue regeneration, relieving headaches, and much more. |
