Healthcare professionals view shiatsu as a modified form of acupressure, a massage therapy that involves pressing specific points in the body to reduce tension and fatigue by improving blood and lymphatic circulation.i

Shiatsu has its roots in the concept of qi. In traditional Chinese medicine, qi is the vital life force that drives all life activity. It believes that health occurs when qi flows unobstructed. When it becomes deficient or blocked, symptoms such as body pain, headaches, and digestive issues arise.

A shiatsu therapist applies pressure on the body’s meridians, parts of the body believed to be energy channels, to balance or unblock the flow of energy.

While shiatsu translates as finger pressure, a shiatsu therapist may also use palms, elbows, and sometimes feet to apply pressure along energy lines or paths to relieve pain and tension in the body.