The true history of this form of massage is convoluted, however it’s debated origins are from a Swedish gymnast and fencer, Per Henrik Ling, who founded “medical gymnastics” which included massage techniques, and Dutch doctor Johann Georg Mezger who also had also studied gymnastics yet became a doctor and utilized French “friction techniques” for healing sprains. It is Johann who codified Swedish massage as it stands today. We like it because it feels good.