Shiatsu Massage Exposed
June 11, 2009 by Steve Esquire
Filed under Health & Fitness
Shiatsu is one of the oldest forms of massage therapy. Although, it is a distinctly Japanese massage therapy, its roots can it is back to China. Basis of shiatsu is using acupressure points. Shiatsu views the body holistically. According to these principles energy is thought to flow through the body. This massage therapy detects blockages of energy flow and seeks to release these blockages in the body.
There are some similarities between shiatsu and acupressure. The difference mainly lies in the placement of the massage. Acupressure is mainly performed over the act you point. In the case of shiatsu, the massage will extend over a greater range and extend beyond just the acupoints.
Shiatsu also involves the stretching and manipulating of different muscles and soft tissue areas. The typical movements in shiatsu massage are using increasing pressure in a rhythmic pattern. Holding pressure is also used with the hands and a gradual pressure release.
When the body comes under pressure, it can start a chain of events which leads to muscle stiffness and tension. In ancient Oriental medicine, there is strong believes in a life force which circulates through the body. Many of peace natural treatments are used to restore the balance of this energy in the body.
Those who practice shiatsu learn to look for blockages of energy in the body. They are taught that energy flows throughout the body. Sometimes the body gets out of balance because of circumstances. This is when the body needs help to get back in balance. Shiatsu massage targets restoring this balance for the vitality of the body.
Shiatsu uses a compression or holding massage. This is simply using the hands to hold around a given muscle or part of the body. Hands provide both touch and warm. This gentle squeeze it is done to initiate the healing process in the body.
Shiatsu involves a very subtle techniques and movements. These have evolved throughout the centuries and continue to this day. Practitioners of today use other variants of techniques in addition to the mainstream shiatsu techniques.
It will be interesting to see how many of these different massage techniques such as shiatsu evolve in the future. Massage therapists have the ability to learn techniques from all over the world. These practitioners will continue to experiment and blend techniques.
Shiatsu is been commonly used by massage practitioners around the world. It has become an alternative form of therapy under traditional medicine. It is fairly common to find shiatsu as one of the specialties of masseuses in different parts of the world.
Many of the elements of shiatsu massage are being integrated into massage chairs. Massage chairs are able to imitate the hand movements of a masseuse. Sophisticated software programs enable massage chairs to perform a scan of the back and make a map of individual acupoints. The program then feeds those coordinates and prioritizes them for relieving and soothing.
Although shiatsu relieving, it is also very invigorating. Use of rapid tapping to soothe and loosen the muscle muscles is effective. The targeting of acupoints to help unblock energy seems to effectively restore the balance back to the body. The holistic approach use with shiatsu massage is central to its effectiveness to relieve tension and stress.
The amazing variety of subtle relationships that combine to make shiatsu massage is very interesting. The use of Acupressure points and soothing major muscle groups provides for a very effective in relieving massage. The popularity of shiatsu is a testament to its restorative potential.






