Dr Emil Kleen

Dr Emil Kleen in 1888 studied the effects of effleurage, friction, petrissage, and vibration on circulation and lymph. He reported that massage had medical effects and because of this he recommended that massage and manual therapy should be the domain of medical personal only and not the domain of laypeople! Out of his research came the emphasis on the importance of anatomical and physiological education, palpation skills, hands-on techniques, for those performing these skills. Kleen also provided guidelines for therapist self-care, on acceptable lubricants and he provided a general outline for a massage session. However, once again towards the late 1800s massage came into disrepute when it became associated with massage parlours, prostitution and unqualified practitioners. Also it was thought that there were false claims of the effectiveness of massage as a cure for certain ailments and there was a call for legitimization and regulation of the sector. Following this massage once again became associated with the doctors surgery and was only made available through doctors’ practices. This continued up to the establishment of the ‘Society for Trained Masseures’ in Britian in 1894.