Shiatsu
Shiatsu is a form of massage that utilizes the hands, thumbs, or other body parts to apply direct pressure on various points or channels in the body. It is performed through loose clothing and does not use oils.
Massage is a practice that has been present for thousands of years. Shiatsu is among the many different massage therapies people seek for relaxation, healing, and relief.
This article discusses shiatsu massage, what to expect from it, its benefits, and its risks. It also explores how shiatsu is different from other massage types.
Shiatsu is a bodywork that originated in Japan. It integrates Japan’s traditional manual therapies, such as acupuncture and anma, an old Japanese massage style, with Western medical knowledge.
Healthcare professionals view shiatsu as a modified form of acupressure, a massage therapy that involves applying pressure to specific points in the body to reduce tension and fatigue by improving blood and lymphatic circulation.
Shiatsu has its roots in the concept of qi. In traditional Chinese medicine, qi is the vital life force that drives all life activity. It believes that health occurs when qi flows unobstructed. When it becomes deficient or blocked, symptoms such as body pain, headaches, and digestive issues arise.
A shiatsu therapist applies pressure on the body’s meridians, parts of the body believed to be energy channels, to balance or unblock the flow of energy (qi).
While shiatsu translates as finger pressure, a shiatsu therapist may also use palms, elbows, and sometimes feet to apply pressure along energy lines or paths to relieve pain and tension in the body.