HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF MASSAGE AS A MEANS OF PHYSICAL THERAPY

Abstract

Topicality. Throughout the development of human civilization, there has been a persistent need to support individuals with limitations caused by injuries or diseases. One of the oldest and most effective means of assistance has been massage.
Purpose of the study is a theoretical analysis of literature sources regarding the historical prerequisites for the emergence of massage and tracing its evolution as a means of rehabilitation and preventive influence within the system of physical therapy.
Materials and methods. The study employed theoretical methods of scientific inquiry. The source base included scientific publications, monographs, and educational and methodological materials devoted to the development of massage within the healthcare system, physical culture, and rehabilitation.
Results. Massage is one of the oldest methods of somatic therapy that has maintained its relevance for thousands of years. Originating in ancient China and India, where it was combined with acupuncture and gymnastics, massage techniques later spread to Egypt, Greece, and Rome. Hippocrates emphasized its importance for strengthening muscles, while Galen systematized its main techniques.
In Europe, interest in massage was revived during the 16th–18th centuries, and its scientific foundation was established by Per Henrik Ling, the founder of the Swedish massage school. Further development in the 20th century is associated with the works of Ivan Sechenov, Andrii Shcherbak, Anatolii Verbov, and Ivan Sarkizov-Serazini, who laid the groundwork for modern massage therapy.
Today, in Ukraine, massage is widely used in rehabilitation and preventive medicine as a component of physical therapy. It contributes to the restoration of musculoskeletal functions, reduction of pain, and alleviation of psycho-emotional tension, especially under conditions of stress.
Conclusions. Thus, massage remains an effective and safe method that combines centuries of experience with modern scientific approaches. Its application is aimed at optimizing the functional state of the body and is determined by an individualized approach.