Benefits and Research Evidence
Shiatsu
The Shiatsu Society states that "you don't have to be ill to benefit from Shiatsu". This is very true as many clients will attest to how relaxing it is in itself. However, the European Shiatsu Federations large cross-European studied found that between 39% and 59% of people who had shiatsu did so to maintain their health. Those who took part said they had Shiatsu treatments for:
Problems with muscles or joints
Problems with body structure such as back pain or posture
Relaxation and relief of tension or stress
Low energy or fatigue
Problems with digestion, breathing or blood pressure
Menstrual pain
Emotional support
Self development
Shiatsu can provide support during periods of trauma, shock, grief, relief from fybromyalgic and muscular pain. Many people find it helpful in eliminating recurrent headaches, easing whiplash, alleviating pre-menstrual syndrome, promoting healthy digestion and uninterrupted sleep.
Shiatsu A large, cross-European cohort study (i.e. a study which followed up the same clients rather than comparing clients who received shiatsu with those that did not, and in this case, over 6 months) reported that users of shiatsu recorded a significant reduction in symptoms of:
tension and stress
musculoskeletal problems (i.e. back pain, problems with joints and muscles)
low energy and fatigue
Other problems which showed improvement were:
digestion
menstruation
breathing
