Swedish Massage in Blackpool

Qualified Service

Enjoy a bonafide Swedish Massage in Blackpool by a qualified masseur. This service is available as a mobile massage in the comfort of your own home. To book your appointment for Blackpool Swedish massage, call Pete on 0798 3759 268.

Peter Bennett AICHT AFHT. Registered Masseur no.325740 of IIHHT (International Institute of Health and Holistic Therapies).

Origins of The Swedish Massage

In Britain, some "puritan" newspapers do not allow a qualified therapist to advertise using the term "Swedish massage" because it has become synonymous with double meanings. Some newspapers have gone further so the word ‘"massage" cannot be used in an advert!

Just for the record what came to be called Swedish massage had its beginnings in the 19th Century. Sweden was recovering from a failed military confrontation with the forces of Napoleon. The military setback was a grave concern of the King of Sweden who began exploring methods of improving the prowess and effectiveness of the members of the Swedish military. When Pehr Henrik Ling, a medical practitioner got wind of this, he arranged to see the King to present the techniques that he had been developing.

Ling and his team were commissioned to use their methods to address specific physical complaints such as the lever actions of joints. Exercises were devised that applied resistance to the movement of these joint areas. Ling’s theories and practices were eventually refined and adapted and are the basis for much of techniques used by physical therapists as well as the aerobic, cardio-vascular and strength and resistance programs commonly practiced in gyms and health clubs throughout the world.

Massage Technique

It seems that descriptions of these movements and methods were interpreted by later readers to be similar to the five classic techniques associated with what we call Swedish Massage. They are, of course:

• Effleurage: Long, gliding strokes
• Petrissage: Lifting and kneading the muscles
• Friction: Firm, deep, circular rubbing movements
• Tapotement: Brisk tapping or percussive movements
• Vibration: Rapidly shaking or vibrating specific muscles

In fact, these particular techniques were developed and named by Dr. Johan George Mezger a Dutch physician. Apparently, when researching Pehr Henrik Ling’s techniques in later years, researchers noticed some similarities between descriptions of Ling’s techniques and the terms already in use as defined by Mezger. These terms were applied to Ling’s methods and, because he practiced in the decades before Mezger, he received credit for developing and naming these techniques. The Swedish Movement System somehow became known as the Swedish Massage System.

Classic Massage

In Sweden, there is no such thing as Swedish Massage. This approach to massage is referred to as "classic massage." If it were to be associated with any country, it should be referred to as “Dutch Massage” which, somehow, doesn’t have the same exotic appeal. Pehr Henrik Ling deserves a great deal of credit for the methods and techniques he developed and promoted. Swedish Massage, however, was not one of them.