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 anybody should be able to learn how to provide a good massage to another human being. However, learning how to give or receive a massage isn't too easy and there are numerous skills required to be successful 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 way of treatment for muscular and nervous system disorders, stress and injury. It may also be used by family and friends just 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 is a good deal of difference between regular massage therapy and receiving a classic Japanese aqua bodywork. There are three important elements involved with receiving a massage treatment: the massage itself, the atmosphere and the receiver. If any one of these elements is missing, then the result will be very poor.
Watsu can only work on the muscles and tissues that are being worked on. Consequently, if the entire 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 portion 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 each part of the client's body one at a time.
The reason I emphasize the entire body is because 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 region while traditional Japanese therapies work deeply into the muscle layers to take care of the condition of a patient's whole body. This is why you can barely find a therapist practicing this form of treatment in the West today.
Another large 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 and friction massage. Although there's often some quantity of hand pressure in a water treatment session, it's normally applied with the use 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.
Besides 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 ), 부산출장마사지 Usui (an open palm stroke), Hanga (a palm to palm stroke), Hapy (a slow and circular motion ), and Paneer (a thrusting motion). It's common for therapists to combine these techniques with different kinds of therapy like touch and foam massage, Swedish massage or other kinds of deep tissue massage.
Although I think water is far superior to regular massage in regards to providing therapeutic advantages to a patient, many patients do not like the concept of having to'bear' the pain. To this day, I've yet to meet a regular massage client who loves having to endure a rigorous session of shiatsu. Along with the fact that most people are not comfortable with the concept of having their entire 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 anticipated. For this reason, most cats therapists will advise their patients to get a massage therapist who's prepared to offer you a warm compress to apply during a treatment session. My experience with watsu within the past several years has been that hot compresses provide the most relief and healing to my clients.