Massage is a very ancient technique that has been used by humans and animals alike.  Early humans would rub bruises and sore muscles, just as we do today.  Massage has long been used as one of the most natural ways to ease pain and discomfort.  The instinctive behavior in animals of using pressure, or licking, is a way to relieve pain or respond to injury.  The mother animal licking her newborn is another example of massage that helps stimulate circulation, bonding, and socialization of the newborn.

Therapeutic massage is the application of various techniques to soft tissues of the body such as skin, muscles, and fascia.  These techniques are usually applied with the hands, but may also be applied with the foot, knee, forearm, or elbow depending on the size and location of the muscles that are being worked. 

Ashiatsu Massage...What is it?

Ashiatsu is a type of massage therapy in which the therapist walks on the client’s back, using bars for support to vary pressure and weight.  Beginning in the East, ashiatsu’s history spans several continents and more than 3,000 years.  Many different styles of barefoot massage have originated from India, Japan, Thailand, China, and the Phillipines.  Brought into the mainstream U.S. massage industry as "ashiatsu oriental bar therapy" in 1999 by Ruthie Hardee, this western application was derived from a myriad of classic sources.  This style of massage is done with the client lying on a table, nude and draped in a sheet.  The massage therapist uses a set pf parallel bars above the massage table for support while essentially dancing on the client’s back combining long, flowing strokes with the feet.  The western spin on barefoot massage is known to improve posture, relieve pain and stress, treat spinal problems, and provide an incredibly deep massage, all while still being gentle.  “With regular massage, the #1 complaint is that the therapist didn’t go deep enough” Hardee says.  The intensity of the massage can be tailored to the needs of the client.