ABSTRACT
The idea of establishing an institute came to him after observing that taking daily exercise benefited his old joint injuries; at the time, he was a fencing instructor at Uppsala University. He decided to learn more about anatomy and physiology through attending courses and subsequently developed a system of medical gymnastics, which later became known as the 'Swedish massage system’. The system used techniques that resemble those used in Chinese massage, which he may have learned about through a Chinese friend who taught him about the martial arts. An important part of professionalism for any health discipline is that high standards of propriety are adhered to by health practitioners during a health transaction, particularly when it involves touching the patient. In 1920 in Britain, a Royal Charter was awarded to the Massage and Medical Gymnasts Society, which changed its name to the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists in 1944.
