[10] There are many different modalities in the massage industry, including (but not limited to): deep tissue, manual lymphatic drainage, medical, sports, structural integration, Swedish, Thai and trigger point.

[18][17] Archaeological evidence of massage has been found in many ancient civilizations including China, India, Japan, Egypt, Rome, Greece, and Mesopotamia.

[20] 2000 BC: The word muššu'u ("massage") is written for the first time, and its use is described, in some Sumerian and Akkadian texts found at the beginning of the 21st century in ancient Mesopotamia.

[21][22][23][24] 762 BC: In the Iliad and the Odyssey, massage with oils and aromatic substances is mentioned as a means to relax the tired limbs of warriors and as a way to help the treatment of wounds.

493 BC: A possible biblical reference documents daily "treatments" with oil of myrrh as a part of the beauty regimen of the wives of Xerxes (Esther, 2:12).

His works included a comprehensive collection and systematization of the fragmentary and unorganized Greco-Roman medical literature that had been translated Arabic by that time, augmented by notes from his own experiences.

Avicenna excelled in the logical assessment of conditions and comparison of symptoms and took special note of analgesics and their proper use as well as other methods of relieving pain, including massage.

AD 1150: Evidence of massage abortion, involving the application of pressure to the pregnant abdomen, can be found in one of the bas reliefs decorating the temple of Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

According to English historian of China Joseph Needham, Cibot's work "was intended to present the physicists and physicians of Europe with a sketch of a system of medical gymnastics which they might like to adopt—or if they found it at fault they might be stimulated to invent something better.

This work has long been regarded as of cardinal importance in the history of physiotherapy because it almost certainly influenced the Swedish founder of the modern phase of the art, Pehr Hendrik Ling.

[41] Massage started to become popular in the United States in the middle part of the 19th century[26] and was introduced by two New York physicians, George and Charles Taylor, based on Pehr Henrik Ling's techniques developed in Sweden.

Taoist priests developed massage in concert with their Kung Fu gymnastic movements, while Ancient Greek Olympians used a specific type of trainer ("aleiptes")[49] who would rub their muscles with oil.

[64] Craniosacral therapy (CST) is a pseudoscience[65] that aims to improve fluid movement and cranial bone motion by applying light touch to the skull, face, spine, and pelvis.

In the traditional Hammam, massage involves not just vigorous muscle kneading, but also joint cracking, "not so much a tender working of the flesh as a pummeling, a cracking of joints, a twisting of limbs..."[69] An 18th-century traveler reported: ...one of the attendants begins to press and handle the tops of the shoulders, the muscles of the arm, and successively the whole body; first gently, then by degrees increasing the pressure, till he comes to handle pretty roughly, but without giving pain.

[79] A 2004 systematic review found single applications of massage therapy "reduced state anxiety, blood pressure, and heart rate but not negative mood, immediate assessment of pain, and cortisol level," while "multiple applications reduced delayed assessment of pain," and found improvements in anxiety and depression similar to effects of psychotherapy.

[80] A subsequent systematic review published in 2008 found that there is little evidence supporting the use of massage therapy for depression in high quality studies from randomized controlled trials.

[87] Structural Integration's aim is to unwind the strain patterns in the body's myofascial system, restoring it to its natural balance, alignment, length and ease.

[92] The development of Swedish massage is often inaccurately credited to Per Henrik Ling, though the Dutch practitioner Johann Georg Mezger applied the French terms to name the basic strokes.

Clinical studies have found that Swedish massage can reduce chronic pain, fatigue,[94][95] joint stiffness and improve function in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee.

In one study scientists found that Thai massage showed comparable efficacy as the painkiller ibuprofen in the reduction of joint pain caused by osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee.

Tui na is a Chinese manual therapy technique that includes many different types of strokes, aimed to improve the flow of chi through the meridians.

Watsu, developed by Harold Dull at Harbin Hot Springs, California, is a type of aquatic bodywork performed in near-body-temperature water, and characterized by continuous support by the practitioner and gentle movement, including rocking, stretching of limbs, and massage.

Due to these two factors, chair massage is often performed in settings such as corporate offices, outdoor festivals, shopping malls, and other public locations.

[116] Administering infant massage also reduces stress and increased oxytocin in parental figures regardless of gender, and overall improves emotional attachment with their child.

[115] Massage research is hindered from reaching the gold standard of scientific inquiry, which includes placebo-controlled and double blind clinical trials.

Only someone who has completed 3,200 hours of training (theoretical and practical) can use the professional title "Masseur und Medizinischer Bademeister" 'Masseur and Medical Spa Therapist'.

[142] In Siddha, Tamil traditional medicine from south India, massage is termed as "Thokkanam" and is classified into nine types, each for a specific variety of diseases.

Therapists with appropriate paperwork and insurance may join the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC), a voluntary, government regulated, professional register.

[160] Study will often include anatomy and physiology, kinesiology, massage techniques, first aid and CPR, business, ethical and legal issues, and hands-on practice along with continuing education requirements if regulated.

[161] Forty-seven states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia currently offer some type of credential to professionals in the massage and bodywork field—usually licensure, certification or registration.