What is the Difference Between Remedial Massage and Shiatsu?
If you are searching for remedialmassage in West Footscray, you may have come across both remedial massage and Shiatsu and wondered what the difference is.
While both can be very effective for releasing tight shoulders, sore backs and muscular tension and support relaxation, Shiatsu offers a more holistic and deeply grounding approach to healing.
What Is Remedial Massage?
Remedial massage is a western manual bodywork therapy that focuses on the release of muscle, fascia and soft tissue and is often more focused on local areas of pain, such as neck pain, back pain, or for rehabilitation and sports injuries.
Patients often receive on a massage table with the use of oil to assist the muscle release therapy.
What Is Shiatsu?
Shiatsu is a Japanese massage therapy that is underpinned by traditional chinese medicine principles and has a focus on the release of muscle, fascia, soft tissue, stretching and joint mobilisation techniques.
Shiatsu has a focus on releasing the local area of tension, but also uses a traditional method of treating which follows meridian pathways, used in acupuncture sessions, and this allows practitioners to release the neck through the use of hands and feet.
The practitioner also has a range of tools to help with release of tissue, such as cupping or scraping (Guasha) therapy which is targeted towards local tension. You may also experience the use of gentle heat therapy (moxibustion), which can be applied to the distal area of the body such as the arm to provide an immediate change to the local area of pain e.g the neck.
Unlike many forms of massage therapy, Shiatsu is traditionally performed fully clothed on a comfortable futon, creating a deeply grounding experience where the body can fully relax and feel supported.
Treatments are designed to support the nervous system, improve the flow of blood and Qi (pronounced Chi) throughout the body and address the underlying patterns contributing to tension, stress and fatigue.
What Conditions Can Shiatsu Help With?
Stress and anxiety
Back, neck and shoulder pain
Burnout and fatigue
Sleep disturbances
Digestive issues
Pregnancy support
Nervous system regulation & Embodied Trauma
Emotional wellbeing
What Happens During a Shiatsu Treatment?
The initial part of a session includes a diagnostic health assessment which allows a treatment plan to be tailored to your unique needs.
The assessment includes pulse taking, tongue diagnosis and targeted questions to identify the patterns of disharmony that are showing up in your physical and emotional body and your opportunity to request exactly what you want from your bodywork session.
The treatment traditionally happens on a comfortable warm futon on the ground allowing you to receive stretches and movements that really allow your body to open up without being constrained by the limitations of a table.
If the floor futon doesn’t suit your mobility needs, we have a massage table available which can be requested in your initial appointment.
The shiatsu therapist treats the whole body and uses a combination of pressure, stretching, cupping, scraping and heat therapy. Sessions will include local tension relief of areas like the neck and shoulders, and include the arms and legs using a traditional medicine approach with the understanding that the body is an interconnected system rather than a collection of isolated parts.
After your session, traditional diet and lifestyle advice can be included if you wish to know more about how to support your body based on your unique presentation.
Why Choose Shiatsu Instead of Remedial Massage?
Bodywork styles come down to personal preference and there is no right or wrong, just what your body responds to best. We have great respect for remedial massage and the important role it plays to help relieve tension, increase mobility and enhance blood flow.
Why do we love Shiatsu? We have the ability to combine the best of traditional Japanese medicine and the modern understanding of the body, creating a session that not only addresses tension and pain, but also supports your breath, nervous system, and overall wellbeing.
Shiatsu treatments are designed around the importance of calming the nervous system while reducing muscle tension, regulating the breath and improving joint mobility. Aiming to help you feel deeply relaxed and also physically lighter.
Unlike remedial massage, Shiatsu is performed fully clothed, making it an accessible care option for patients who are working with a trauma history or have sensitive skin to oil based work.
Oils can be used in sessions around the neck, face, and hands, or when incorporating techniques such as glass cupping on the back or chest.
As Shiatsu is grounded in traditional medicine, it looks beyond the local area of pain, considering patterns and habits that may contribute to tension, whether that may be from stress, breath, posture, digestion, sleep or the demands of daily life.
The goal isn’t simply to relieve symptoms, but to support the person as a whole and create more lasting change.
FAQs
Does Shiatsu use oil?
Yes, but based on clients' individual preference. We often use oil for a long neck and jaw massage and when applying cups to the back.
How often should you have Shiatsu treatments?
Your treatment plan will always depend on the nature of your condition and reason for attending.
Acute pain or stress related support might need 1-3 sessions to get you feeling back to where you need to be.
If you’re working with chronic pain or a long term condition, multiple sessions will be recommended and you will explore the changes with your practitioner and alter sessions together to get the best from your appointments.
If you’re exploring shiatsu for embodied trauma we recommend 8 sessions over 16 weeks and recommend that you’re linked into a talk therapist to support you during these appointments
Is Shiatsu covered by private health insurance?
Shiatsu has very recently been approved for coverage under private health, it will always depend on your provider and if your shiatsu practitioner is set up with provider numbers. Please contact your insurer to check you are covered and call the clinic before making a booking.