Watsu Massage Therapy
One of the most misunderstood conditions by most people is that of massage therapy. It is a shame really because it would seem a simple technique like the massage provided by a masseuse would be very easy to learn. Folks assume then that anybody should be able to learn how to provide a great 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 prosperous in this area.
Watsu is probably the first non-traditional water bodywork style in the western world. It is used today by practitioners of chiropractic and other 부산출장마사지 forms of Complementary and Alternative Medicine as a way of treatment for muscular and nervous system disorders, stress and injury. It can also be used by family and friends exactly like massage with warm water and complete unconditional love and support of the patient.
Like most things, watsu will only work if it is received regularly. There's a great deal of difference between regular massage therapy and getting a traditional Japanese aqua bodywork. There are three major elements involved in receiving a massage therapy: the massage itself, the air and the receiver. If any one of those elements is missing, then the outcome will be quite poor.
Watsu can only work on the muscles and tissues that are being worked on. Consequently, if the whole body is not being treated, then it is ineffective. While I give a massage to clients, I make sure that I start with the significant part of their body - the neck and back. I then proceed to work my way into 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 every part of the client's body at a time.
The reason I emphasize the whole body is as 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 treat the state of a patient's body. This is the reason you can hardly find a therapist practicing this form of treatment in the West today.
Another big difference between watsu and aqua therapy is that water uses both physical and psychological procedures. Aquatic bodywork on the other hand uses warm water massage combined with friction and stretching massage. Although there's often some quantity of hand pressure in 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 just applies physical pressure through the use of his or her hands.
In addition to using various hand pressure methods, aquatic bodywork often incorporates the use of various massage strokes and methods. These include: Shiatsu (a finger-pressure type treatment ), 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 other kinds of therapy like touch and foam massage, Swedish massage or other kinds 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 don't like the idea of having to'bear' the pain. To this day, I have yet to meet a normal massage customer who enjoys having to endure a rigorous session of shiatsu. Along with the fact that most individuals are not comfortable with the idea of having their whole body massaged while they are seated, I also think that most people would prefer the privacy of receiving a normal massage rather than have their whole bodywork, especially if the massage session takes longer than anticipated. Because of this, most cats therapists will advise their patients to find a massage therapist who is prepared to offer a warm compress to employ during a therapy session. My experience with watsu over the past several years has been that warm compresses give the most relief and healing to my customers.