Watsu Massage Therapy
Among the most misunderstood conditions by most people is that of massage therapy. It's a shame because it would seem a simple technique like the massage offered by a masseuse would be quite easy to learn. People assume then that anyone should be able to learn how to give a good massage to another human being. However, learning how to give or receive a massage isn't too simple and there are numerous 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 now by practitioners of chiropractic and other forms of Complementary and Alternative Medicine as a means 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 total unconditional love and support of the patient.
Like many things, watsu is only going to 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 important elements involved in getting a massage treatment: the massage itself, the air and the receiver. If any one of these elements is missing, then the result will be quite poor.
Watsu can only work on the tissues and muscles that are being worked on. Therefore, if the whole body is not being treated, then it's ineffective. When I give a massage to clients, I make sure I start with the significant part of their body - the back and neck. I then proceed to work my way into the toes 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 that I emphasize the whole body is as there are differences between traditional Japanese water and massage. Watsu is more concerned with stimulating the superficial muscles and soft tissues of the back and neck area while traditional Japanese therapies work deeply into the muscle layers to take care of the condition of a patient's body. This is why 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 methods. Aquatic bodywork on the other hand uses warm water massage combined with stretching 부산출장마사지 and friction massage. Although there is often some amount of hand pressure during a water therapy session, it's 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 his or her 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 in regards to providing therapeutic benefits to a patient, many patients don't like the idea of needing to'bear' the pain. To this day, I have yet to meet a normal massage customer who loves having to endure a rigorous session of shiatsu. Along with the fact that most people aren't comfortable with the idea of having their whole body massaged while they are seated, I also think that most people would prefer the solitude of receiving a regular massage rather than have their entire bodywork, particularly if the massage therapy takes longer than anticipated. For this reason, most cats therapists will advise their patients to find a massage therapist who's willing to offer a warm compress to employ during a treatment session. My experience with watsu over the last several years has been that warm compresses provide the most relief and healing to my clients.