I feel like, for whatever silly reason, guys are supposed to like massages. Maybe it's the whole stripping down to your underwear and letting a complete stranger rub all over you, which you would think would be a major selling point for some guys. Whatever it is, I do not fall into that camp. My wife and I will try to go get massages at least a couple of times a year, and to just lay there for an hour and just relax while a trained professional works out all the tightness in my neck, shoulders, and back is just the best. Every massage therapist I've ever been to uses their hands to work out the kinks. Some will use their full forearm to cover more area and apply even pressure on a particular area, usually my back. But one Indiana therapist is using a different part of her body to help her clients work out the kinks.

Instead of her hands and arms, Paige Hicks with Bodyworks Massage Therapy in Evansville uses her feet and literally stands on the backs of her clients to work out the stiffness in their muscles. To keep herself balanced so she can apply pressure accurately (and I assume to keep herself from falling off the table or onto her clients), Paige holds on to two wooden rails secured to the ceiling above the massage table. Here she is in action courtesy of the Bodyworks Facebook page.

What is Ashiatsu Massage?

As the post notes, Paige is a "certified Ashiatsu DeepFeet Bar Therapist." The word, "Ashiatsu" loosely translates to "foot pressure" in English. This is how it works, and what makes it different from the standard deep tissue massage according to Deepfeet.com,

Ashiatsu DeepFeet Bar Therapy, is a barefoot massage technique in which the therapist delivers deep, broad, consistent pressure while utilizing their feet and body weight. Working with gravity instead of against it, Ashiatsu therapists are able to provide an effective therapeutic massage without causing pain or discomfort to themselves or the receiving client.

The video below gives you a better idea of what happens during a therapy session.

NOTE: This video is not Paige from Bodyworks. This comes from the DeepFeet Bar Therapy - Ashiatsu Massage Training YouTube channel.

Does it look a little weird? Absolutely. Would I still try it? You bet. If it helps work out the stress knots in my neck, shoulders, and lower back, I'm willing to try almost anything.

[Sources: Bodyworks on Facebook / Deepfeet.com]

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