Hippo Crates And Galenpp

Hippocrates and Galen: Their Foundations for Massage

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Early History Ø Massage was used to get ride of evil spirits Ø It was based on magic, ritual and speculation Ø It was performed in a downward motion Ø It was believed that by massaging toward the lower extremities, bad things would be able to leave the body Ø 2

Hippocrates 460 B.C to 377 B.C 3

Hippocrates Ø Has many medical writings that were written by some of his followers after his death Ø One of his most well known writings was the Hippocratic Oath which outlines the ethics of health care Ø He is a founder of the Hippocratic School of Medicine Ø Ø

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Hippocrates Ø Based his theory’s on symptoms and observations Ø He used what he saw in dissected small animals and compared that to what he could see on the human body Ø He believed that natural treatments such as rest, hydration and diet were very important to the health of the patient Ø 5

Hippocrates 

How he changed massage:

Ø He massaged upwards to the core so that bad materials could be removed through the alimentary tract Ø This favoured the return of circulation, relieves blood stasis and makes more room in the veins and lymphatics, making it easier to get rid of bad products Ø He started a massage softly and increased pressure as the massage progressed. This allowed muscles to relax and make for a 6 more successful treatment

Galen 130 C.E. to 201 C.E.

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Galen Ø Galen also known as Aelias Galenuse or Cladius Galenenus Ø One of the greatest of physicians of ancient times and second only to Hippocrates Ø He wrote many medical and philosophical texts Ø He related anatomy and physiology, which had never been done before

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Galen Ø He started as a physician with the gladiators of Rome through which he gained a reputation for his treatment of open wounds and tendon injuries Ø His reputation allowed him to work with many Roman emperors Ø With his new status he was able to dissect an ape to better improve his theories Ø He contributed to the description of bones, muscles and their accompanying tissues such as ligaments and tendons 9 Ø

Galen Ø Being a follower of Hippocrates, Galen used some of his ideas to further develop his own Ø Instead of stroking in one direction like Hippocrates, Galen believed strokes and circuits should be performed in many directions in order to incorporate as many muscle fibres as possible Ø He claimed that if a client’s skin is dry oil should be used to moisten it Ø He said that a firm massage makes the skin thick and strong, while a gentle got ride of the bad and makes the body relaxed and soft

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Conclusion 

Through the efforts of Hippocrates and Galen, massage has been able to progress a long way. They developed an understanding of the human body and new techniques. Their contribution to the massage professions has not gone unnoticed.

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