According to a 2004 study published in Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 15 long-term clients and 14 practitioners of shiatsu who participated in in-depth interviews reported improved relaxation, sleep patterns, and body postures and experiences as the most common positive results of shiatsu massage therapy.
Relaxation Technique 1:
Hold your right foot in both palms and apply pressure on the sole of your foot with both of your thumbs.
Massage the entire sole with both thumbs for 10 minutes. You can alternate between circular and scooping motions.
Switch feet and repeat the exercise.
Perform this relaxation technique twice daily.
According to a 2013 study published in the International Journal of Palliative Nursing, 11 patients who received shiatsu therapy treatment for 5 weeks all reported significant improvement in energy levels and relaxation.
While in some patients the effects lasted only a few hours after each session, others experienced a long-term effect, extending well beyond the 5-week treatment.
Energy Flow Technique 1:
Hold your right foot in both palms near the toes and separate each toe using the thumb and index finger of both hands.
Starting with the big toe, place both your fingers at the bottom of the toe for support and massage the top of the toe with both thumbs in an upward motion.
Perform this technique on each toe 5 to 10 times.
Switch feet and repeat the exercise.
Do this twice daily.
This exercise promotes the flow of therapeutic energy from the feet to the rest of the body in an upward motion.
Shiatsu for Anxiety & Stress
In a 2015 study published in the World Journal of Plastic Surgery, burn patients who suffered severe anxiety received shiatsu hand massage for 20 minutes (10 minutes on each hand). Results showed significantly reduced anxiety after the massage.