Elizabeth Dicke (1884-1952), a German physical therapist, invented the Connective Tissue Massage (CTM) technique in 1928. She had a blood vessel infection in the late 1920s, which caused her right leg’s circulation to be obstructed (Isler). Following back care with stretching strokes to alleviate lumbosacral discomfort, she noticed “a sense of tingling and warmth” in her leg. She started to stretch in her back and other places, and her leg circulation, as well as her kidney and liver problems, significantly improved. She began researching and developing this new type of healing from that point forward.
Professor Kohlrausch and Dr. Teirich-Laube, two medical physicians, later scientifically verified Dicke’s CTM techniques, confirming the therapeutic benefit of CMT (Isler). CMT started to gain traction and acceptance among the general public.
What Is Connective Tissue Massage, and How Does It Work?
Connective tissue massage is a form of massage that focuses on the superficial connective and subcutaneous tissues and is used to help in the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases.
The concepts of CTM are based on the idea that “internal organ dysfunction” can be detected by “increased tone of superficial muscles, particularly in the back,” “a changed character of interstitial fluid in the subsutaneous tissues,” and “hypensensitivity to contact” (Goats & Keir, 1991).
What Is Connective Tissue and How Does It Work?
Fascia, or connective tissue, refers to tissues that connect organs and systems as well as “surround, protect, and sustain” all other body structures.
“Gravity, injury, disease, emotional distress,” or other pressures may all affect fascia, causing discomfort, stiffness, decreased flexibility, or pain (Institute for Structural Integration). To normalise tissues and provide care for those symptoms, connective tissue massage manipulates facsica by lengthening and opening it (Howe) (Natural Therapy Pages;Institute for Structural Integration).

The Five Principles of CTM Body Mechanics by John Latz
The five principles are linked and should be applied as a whole
More details on the five CTM body mechanics concepts. Jennifer Greenwood, a Connective Tissue Massage teacher at Florida School of Massage in Gainesville, Florida, has been teaching Connective Tissue Massage for around 15 years. She discusses Connective Tissue Massage in this video, as well as the differences between it and Deep Tissue Massage.