Every week we receive new clients’ phone calls asking about what kind of massage we offer. One of the most frequently asked questions is whether we have a back walking massage. At this point, let us introduce this massage technique and its benefits and risks.

What Is Back Walking Massage?

Ashiatsu or Back walking massage, is a bodywork technique to improve the human body using feet. practitioners believe this therapy is one form of alternative medicine and it has its own healing art. Since barefoot massage is rooted in East Asia and it has an ancient history in many asian countries.

In addition, walking massage is a fusion of oriental philosophy, religion, culture, and tradition. It relates to a study of Zen and Chi. While back walking is pretty popular in Asia, yet relatively new to North America.

The Origin Of Ashitsu

Just like other massage techniques, back walking massage has more than 3000 years of history. Many different branches of barefoot massage have originated from East Asia. For example, India, Japan, Thailand, China, and the Philippines all have similar massage techniques. The only difference is some are practiced on a floor mat, others may require balancing props, ceiling bars, bamboo rods, or other equipment. If you have a chance to have a back walking massage, you may have already noticed it.

The Benefits Of Ashiatsu

Back Walking has many exciting benefits. It will strengthen the regional blood circulation and relieve the stiffness, pain and fatigue of the back. This elevates your well-being and works out bad problem areas. Some of the benefits include:

• Stress relief by providing deep muscle penetration
• Lymphatic system stimulation to help move waste products from the body
• Improve flexibility by elongating and kneading the deep muscle fibers
• Improves posture by reducing stress in the back and shoulder muscles
• Releases trigger point tensions
• Help alleviate inflammation in the joints and muscles
• Improve overall well-being

The Risks of Walking On The Back

The research found that back walking massage is one of the top featured services in many Asian massage studios. In Chinese medicine, indeed, it has a significant health value, but experts in traditional Chinese medicine do not recommend it.

Walking on the back exerts forces on the bones, joints, and soft tissues. Improper stepping on the back would possibly cause nerves and spine injuries. At the same time, most of the barefoot walking practitioners in massage studios have little or no professional training about it. For example, people with cervical spondylosis should not get back walking massage; a wrongful operation may impinge the spinal cord, which will aggravate the damage to the cervical spine. It may get very dangerous consequences if operated by an unprofessional therapist.

A Brief Summary To Back Walking Massage

Back waling massage is getting more popular and it appears in Asian massage studios. This is a force exerted on bones, joints, and soft tissues. It has many common benefits like stress relief and relaxation. Relatively, it may be dangerous for some categorised people, and there are some other alternative types of massage techniques for those who have worries about it.