What are Ashiatsu Bar Therapy?… techniques that are applied to the body with the therapist’s feet! Ashiatsu is a barefoot massage technique that requires the therapist to use their feet instead of their hands to perform the massage. A therapist will have a person lay face down on a massage table. The therapist will use ropes, bars, stools, or benches to balance themselves above the client.
It is based on an ancient ayurvedic practice of Chavutti Thirummal. It combines Swedish, Myofascial, and compression techniques that are applied to the body with the therapist’s feet.
What is Ashiatsu?
Ashiatsu is a bodywork form that applies therapeutic pressure (through clothing) to promote health and well being. Although “Ashiatsu” literally means foot (ashi) pressure (atsu) in Japanese, ashiatsu techniques also make use of knees, elbows, palms, and fingers where necessary and appropriate.
By working with the body, Ashiatsu can heighten total (physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual) awareness. Treatments typically include stretching, stimulation, or sedation of acupressure points/meridians, and structural alignment techniques. The work is effective therapeutically and clients will often feel the work deeply in their muscles, internal organs, and bones.
What are the roots of Ashiatsu?
Ashiatsu is in the lineage and tradition of Shizuko Yamamoto’s Barefoot/Macrobiotic Shiatsu, but with more emphasis on the individual as an energy system than on dietary guidelines. Traditional Chinese organ/meridian theory and psychic energy body teachings from the ancient Egyptian mystery school tradition are the two major approaches used in perceiving, understanding, and treating disease and wellness in this work.
What are the benefits of Ashiatsu?
- Reduced stress and a greater sense of well being
- Relaxed muscles and improved circulation
- Improved immune system
- Heightened awareness of emotional and psychological processes
Deep Tissue Without Discomfort
If your clients are in need of deep tissue work but don’t enjoy the discomfort that comes with pointy elbows and thumbs, then Ashiatsu DeepFeet Bar Therapy® is the treatment for them! Gravity enables Ashiatsu therapists to deliver up to 3x deeper pressure than with traditional hands-on treatments. Utilizing the broad surface of your foot as your massage tool provides consistent pressure and contours nicely to the body. As a result, clients will enjoy the same extra range of movement and decrease in chronic tension relief without having to endure painful strokes.
Frees Up Bundled Nerves
Movements along the paraspinal and the lumbar region can relieve muscle spasms and open the intervertebral foramen (where spinal nerves pass through). It will give the nerves more space as well as increase circulation by bringing more freshly oxygenated blood to the area being treated.
Elongates Muscles and Detoxifies
Many Ashiatsu strokes help to elongate the spine. These movements dramatically stretch shortened muscles, which help in relieving pain and discomfort. These long fluid strokes also help flush the body’s lymphatic system, which releases metabolic waste at a very high rate. We recommend drinking plenty of water before and after a treatment to help with the detoxification process.
Improves Posture and Decreases Pain
After only a few treatments, Ashiatsu barefoot massage has been known to improve posture and range of motion. It will significantly reduce or eliminate chronic muscle pain, and improve bodily functions, which will create a higher sense of balance and well being within the body. Typically, one treatment a week for upwards of six weeks will produce these kinds of results.
*Disclaimer: This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare provider.
Please consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.
The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended as diagnosis, treatment, or prescription of any kind. The decision to use, or not to use, any information is the sole responsibility of the reader. These statements are not expressions of legal opinion relative to the scope of practice, medical diagnosis, or medical advice, nor do they represent an endorsement of any product, company, or specific massage therapy technique, modality, or approach. All trademarks, registered trademarks, brand names, registered brand names, logos, and company logos referenced in this post are the property of their owners.