Massage Therapy: Where Did It Begin?

Massage Therapy has been part of healthcare for centuries.

While there is no written record for much of the very early period, it’s generally accepted that a form of Massage Therapy care was practised by early civilizations around the world – in places like China, Greece and Italy.

There is also little documentation around how Massage Therapy care emerged in Canada. Researchers believe that the first wave of practitioners, known as “masseurs/ masseuses”, hailed from different pockets of Europe, especially Sweden, Finland, Germany, Hungary and England. The practice of Massage Therapy across Europe was wide-spread and recognized by the medical profession as an important method of healing.

During the First World War, it became apparent that wounded Canadian soldiers could benefit from Massage Therapy treatment as part of their recovery. The Army trained groups of nurses in Massage Therapy and sent them to rehabilitation hospitals in England to provide Massage Therapy as a daily part of the soldiers’ medical treatment.

In 1919, Massage Therapy become a regulated healthcare profession in Ontario.
Over time, Massage Therapy gained traction across the province. The Drugless Practitioners Act required Massage Therapists to be properly trained and registered. The Board of Regents was established to govern all branches of drugless therapy and all Massage Therapists were required to pass an examination and prove that were qualified to practise. During the 1930s, there were about 250 Massage Therapists (registrants). At the time, Massage Therapy treatment was provided on a hard-wooden table and used mainly to reduce stress and manage physical pain.

In 1935, each branch of drugless therapy received their own Board. The “Board of Directors of Masseurs” was established as a separate entity to govern the profession. The following year, Massage Therapists formed a network to advocate on behalf of the profession – called “Associated Masseurs” – which much later became what’s known today as the Registered Massage Therapists’ Association of Ontario (RMTAO).

The number of Massage Therapists has grown steadily over the years. Today, there are some 14,000 Massage Therapists registered with the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario. Our College is currently one of 26 Ontario Health Regulators that regulate 28 distinct healthcare professions in the province.

This year, we’re proud to mark the 100th anniversary of regulation in Massage Therapy care. Take a look at the timeline below to see how the regulation of Massage Therapy has evolved over the past century.

100 Years of Quality, Integrity and Competence in Massage Therapy: A Historical Timeline