Watsu Massage Therapy
Among the most misunderstood conditions by most people is that of massage therapy. It is a shame really because it would seem that a simple technique like the massage offered by a masseuse would be very easy to learn. Folks assume then that anyone should be able to understand how to provide a good massage to another human being. However, learning how to give or receive a massage is not so simple and there are various skills required to be successful in this area.
Watsu is most likely the first non-traditional water bodywork style in the western world. It's used today by practitioners of chiropractic and other forms of Complementary and Alternative Medicine as a way of treatment for muscle and nervous system disorders, stress and injury. It may also be used by family and friends exactly like massage with warm water and complete unconditional love and support of the patient.
Like many things, watsu will only work if it is received regularly. There is a good deal of difference between regular massage therapy and getting a traditional Japanese aqua bodywork. There are three major elements involved with getting a massage treatment: the massage itself, the atmosphere and the receiver. If any one of those elements is missing, then the outcome will be very poor.
Watsu can only work on the tissues and muscles that are being worked on. Consequently, if the entire body is not being treated, then it is ineffective. When I give a massage to clients, I make sure that I start with the significant part of the body - the back 부산출장안마 and neck. I then proceed to work my way to the feet and then the lower limbs and then finally towards the upper body. I then repeat the procedure with the warm water flowing gently in my hands as I massage each area of the client's body one at a time.
The reason that I emphasize the whole body is because there are differences between traditional Japanese massage and water. Watsu is more concerned with stimulating the superficial muscles and soft tissues of the back and neck region while traditional Japanese treatments work deeply into the muscle layers to take care of the condition of a patient's whole body. This is why you can hardly find a therapist practicing this form of therapy in the West today.
Another big difference between watsu and aqua therapy is that water uses both physical and mental methods. Aquatic bodywork on the other hand uses warm water massage combined with stretching and friction massage. Although there is often some amount of hand pressure during a water therapy session, it is typically applied by means of both hands and the fingers only. With aqua therapy, on the other hand, the therapist only applies physical pressure through the use of their hands.
In addition to using various hand pressure methods, aquatic bodywork often incorporates the use of various massage strokes and techniques. These include: Shiatsu (a finger-pressure type therapy), Usui (an open palm stroke), Hanga (a palm to palm stroke), Hapy (a slow and circular movement), and Paneer (a thrusting motion). It is typical for therapists to combine these techniques with different types of therapy like touch and foam massage, Swedish massage or other types of deep tissue massage.
Although I feel that water is far superior to regular massage when it comes to providing therapeutic benefits to a patient, many individuals do not like the idea of having to'bear' the pain. To this day, I have yet to meet a normal massage client who enjoys having to endure a rigorous session of shiatsu. Along with the fact that most people are not comfortable with the concept of having their whole body massaged while they are seated, I also feel that most people would prefer the solitude of receiving a regular massage rather than have their whole bodywork, especially if the massage session takes longer than expected. For this reason, most cats therapists will advise their patients to find a massage therapist who is willing to offer a warm compress to employ during a treatment session. My experience with watsu within the last several years has been that hot compresses give the most relief and healing to my clients.