Watsu

Watsu

is a form of aquatic bodywork used for deep

relaxation and passive aquatic therapy. Watsu is charac-
terized by one-on-one sessions in which a practitioner or
therapist gently cradles, moves, stretches, and massages a
receiver in chest-deep warm water.
1 Overview
Watsu

, originally developed by Harold Dull at Harbin

Hot Springs, California in the early 1980s, combines ele-
ments of muscle stretching, joint mobilization, massage,
Shiatsu, and dance, performed in chest-deep warm wa-
ter (around 35C = 95F). The receiver is continuously
supported by a practitioner or therapist while being back-
oated, rhythmically cradled, moved, stretched, and mas-
saged. The eects of warm water, gentle touch, and
numerous owing movement techniques produce a deep
state of relaxation. Watsu is now used worldwide as a
formof passive aquatic therapy for physical rehabilitation
of illness, injury, and disability.
[1][2][3][4]
2 History and origins
In the early 1980s Harold Dull adapted Zen Shiatsu for
use in warm water pools at Harbin Hot Springs in north-
ern California, with emphasis on connecting with the
breathing patterns of the receiver and establishing a med-
itative state during sessions. Dull observed that people re-
ceiving Watsu treatments entered a deep relaxation state,
with strong physical and emotional eects. In the early
years, massage therapists were the main practitioners of
Watsu, oering sessions as a new category of aquatic
therapy called aquatic bodywork. By the late 1980s
and early 1990s, physical therapists and other healthcare
providers began applying Watsu to treat diverse ortho-
pedic and neurologic conditions. While Watsus roots in
Shiatsu and the close physical contact led to some early
resistance among those trained in conventional health-
care, Watsu is now practiced worldwide in spas, clin-
ics, and hospitals, and utilized as an aquatic rehabilitation
technique.
[2][4]
3 Technique
Watsu is performed in one-on-one pool sessions in chest-
deep warm water. During a session, a provider (practi-
tioner or therapist) gently cradles, moves, stretches, and
massages a receiver (client or patient). A typical session
consists of a progression of breath coordination, move-
ment patterns in dierent positions, and massage. Move-
ment patterns including gentle cradling and rocking, more
dynamic stretching and mobilization, stillness, and spe-
cic mobilization techniques focused on the needs or
condition of the receiver. A session may last anywhere
from a few minutes to longer than an hour. During a
session, the provider continually monitors the state of
the receiver, mindful of subtle changes in muscle ten-
sion and respiration, and responsive to adapt the treatment
accordingly.
[2][3][4]
3.1 Opening
Before starting a pool session, the provider typically
meets with the receiver to ll out paperwork, answer
questions, review referrals and records, and discuss
needs, expectations, and health condition. The receiver
is tted with oats around the upper shins or lower thighs
to prevent the legs from sinking. The session starts with
the receiver seated or crouched at the pool edge. The
provider faces the receiver, coordinates breathing, and
then gently draws the receiver into a back oating position
called rst position.
[2][3][4]
3.2 First position techniques
In rst position, the receiver oats facing upward while
the provider supports the receivers head in the crook
of one arm and maintains gentle traction of the spine
from the base of the skull (occiput) to the base of the
spine (sacrum). The provider gently sways from leg
to leg (horse to horse stance) or forcefully moves in
deep lunges in alternating directions (warrior to war-
rior stance), producing rocking and wave patterns in
the receiver. Typical Watsu moves use turbulent drag to
produce traction and softly stretch the limbs and torso.
Movements include slow rocking, arm and leg stretches,
trunk rotations and stretches, and various oscillation and
pulsing patterns. Moves are repeated on both sides for
balance.
[2][3]
Basic Watsu moves include the following:
[4]
Water Breath Dance stillness and gentle motion
coordinated with up and down shifts in buoyancy as
the receiver breathes;
1
2 6 APPLICATIONS
Slow Oering gentle pulling alternately headward
by the base of the skull (occiput) and footward by
the base of the spine (sacrum), to produce traction
of the spine along with centripetal side force;
Free Spine gentle oscillation of the spine;
One Leg Oering gentle pulling alternately head-
ward by the base of the skull (occiput) and footward
by one leg, to produce a complex pattern of turbu-
lent drag, with leg, torso, and spine stretches;
Two Leg Oering gentle pulling alternately head-
ward by the base of the skull (occiput) and footward
by both legs, to produce a complex pattern of turbu-
lent drag, with leg, torso, and spine stretches;
Accordion drawing both knees toward and away
fromthe chest in coordination with the breath, while
maintaining neck traction;
Rotating Accordion adding a spiraling rotation to
the accordion action of moving both knees toward
and away from the chest, while maintaining support
of the occiput and allowing the head more freedom
to roll;
Near Leg Rotation opening and closing the near
leg toward and away from the chest to produce an
oscillating spine and hip rotation;
Far Leg Rotation opening and closing the far leg
toward and away from the chest to produce an oscil-
lating spine and hip rotation.
3.3 Other positions and techniques
A wide variety of other positions and techniques have
been developed to produce specic eects and to address
specic parts of the body. For example, a head pull per-
mits gentle traction and mobilization of the neck, sea-
weed position permits mobilization and rotation of the
spine and hips, and full saddle permits stretching and
massage of the side body and limbs.
[2][3][4]
3.4 Adapting Watsu for special needs
A specialized set of techniques have been developed to
adapt Watsu for receivers with special needs. For clients
with severe spasticity, the usual turbulent drag is not suf-
cient to stretch the body. Additional manual pressure
is applied to sustain gentle, prolonged stretches, for ex-
ample attaining trunk rotation by pressing the opposite
shoulder while pulling the knees. Head pillows and other
additional oats are often used for specic therapeutic
techniques, similar to how rings or oats are used for the
Bad Ragaz Ring Method for aquatic rehabilitation.
[5]
4 Training and certication
The Worldwide Aquatic Bodywork Association (WABA)
oversees training and certication for Watsu, as well as
for the related aquatic bodywork forms WaterDance and
Healing Dance. Training consists of basic and advanced
coursework, as well as logged practice and demonstration
of mastery. Certication levels include Watsu provider
as a specialized adjunct to massage therapy certication,
Watsu practitioner as a stand-alone certication requir-
ing more advanced training, and Watsu instructor with
additional training relevant to teaching. WABA also au-
thorizes Training Centers and maintains a register of cer-
tied professionals.
[2][3][4]
5 Health eects
5.1 Physiological eects
During a Watsu session, the recipients heart and res-
piration rates decrease, depth of respiration increases,
muscle tone decreases, and recipients report a deep state
of relaxation. Robert Scaer suggested that deep relax-
ation of Watsu balances the autonomic nervous system
(ANS), decreasing sympathetic response and increas-
ing parasympathetic response, with far-reaching benets.
Compressive forces of hydrostatic pressure combine with
deep relaxation to enhance functioning of the lymphatic
system and reduce swelling in cases of edema. For ortho-
pedic impairments, combined eects of relaxation, warm
water, and gentle movement decreases muscle spasm,
provides pain relief, improves soft tissue mobility, and in-
creases range of motion. The rhythmic rocking motions
combined with repeated trunk rotation and elongation re-
laxes muscles and improves mobility.
[2][3][6]
5.2 Psychological eects
Many patients and clinicians report psychological benets
for stress reduction and resolving past traumas.
[2][6]
6 Applications
Watsu is oered along with other forms for bodywork
and massage at spas, recreation facilities, and retreat cen-
ters, and oered as a form of aquatic therapy at clinics,
hospitals, and healthcare centers.
[3]
6.1 General use
For healthy people, Watsu is used for relaxation, muscle
stretching, and nurturing connection.
[3]
3
6.2 Orthopedic and neurologic rehabilita-
tion
For physical rehabilitation, Watsu is used by aquatic ther-
apists to improve function and increase quality of life.
Watsu has been applied for treatment of patients with
orthopedic and neurologic impairment, in particular for
limitations in range of motion from soft tissue restric-
tions, muscle spasm (hypertonicity), and pain. By im-
proving soft tissue mobility and decreasing spasm, pa-
tients can respond better to functional activities. For se-
vere cases, short periods of Watsu can be alternated with
short periods of functional activities.
[2][7]
Watsu has been proposed as a therapy for bromyalgia
syndrome,
[8]
and for rehabilitating patients after a
stroke.
[9]
Although little direct research has been done on Watsu,
various extrapolations concerning therapeutic eects
have been made from research in established areas of
therapy, in particular proprioceptive neuromuscular fa-
cilitation (PNF) and sensory integration.
[2]
6.3 Psychological rehabilitation
For psychological rehabilitation, Watsu has been used to
improve psychological function by calming the nervous
system, enhancing relaxation, increasing body awareness
and decreasing general anxiety. Watsu is sometimes rec-
ommended as an adjunct therapy to help process trauma,
in conjunction with a psychotherapist.
[2][6][3]
7 Precautions
As with all aquatic activities, Watsu has inherent risks.
The Watsu provider needs to constantly observe and an-
alyze each movement for safety, especially in case of in-
jury or illness where movement could cause harm, e.g.,
osteoporosis, acute rheumatoid arthritis, and ligamentous
instability. Slow and smooth movement, without sudden
loading of the joints, is generally advisable. Motion sick-
ness, with dizziness, nausea, or disorientation fromexcess
vestibular stimulation can occasionally result and thera-
pists are advised to watch for signs of overstimulation.
[2]
8 Related aquatic bodywork tech-
niques
Other aquatic bodywork forms, closely associated with
Watsu include WaterDance (Wassertanzen), Healing
Dance, and Jahara technique.
[3]
9 Pool design
Watsu requires a specialized warm-water therapy pool,
approximately chest deep (depending on height of the
therapist), temperature-controlled to about 35C (95F),
and of a sucient size to accommodate one or more si-
multaneous sessions (3.8 m = 12' or more diameter).
[10]
10 See also
Harbin School of Healing Arts
Healing Dance
Massage (Aquatic bodywork)
Massage (Watsu)
Waterdance
Worldwide Aquatic Bodywork Registry
11 References
[1] Dutton, M. 2011. Orthopaedics for the physical thera-
pist assistant. Jones & Bartlett Learning. p 187. (Watsu)
ISBN 978-0763797553.
[2] Schoedinger, P. 2011. Watsu in aquatic rehabilitation. pp
137-153, Chapter 5 In: Becker, BE and Cole, AJ (eds).
Comprehensive aquatic therapy, 3rd edition. Washington
State University Press. ISBN 978-0615365671.
[3] Jamison, L. 2009. Watsu. pp 117-128, Chapter 8 In:
Brody, LT and Geigle, PR (eds). Aquatic exercise for
rehabilitation and training. Human Kinetics. ISBN 978-
0736071307.
[4] Dull, H. 2008. Watsu: freeing the body in water, 4th edi-
tion. Watsu Publishing. ISBN 978-1605853710.
[5] Schoedinger P. 2008. Adapting Watsu for special needs.
pp 117-131. Chapter 10 In: Dull H. Watsu: freeing the
body in water, 4th edition. Watsu Publishing. ISBN 978-
1605853710.
[6] Scaer R. 2014. The body bears the burden: trauma, dis-
sociation, and disease, third edition. Routledge. ISBN
978-0415641524.
[7] Dougherty L, Dunlap E, and Mehler S. 2008. The rehabil-
itative benets of Watsu. pp 108-116. Chapter 9 In: Dull,
H. Watsu: freeing the body in water, 4th edition. Watsu
Publishing. ISBN 978-1605853710.
[8] Faull, K. 2005. A pilot study of the comparative eec-
tiveness of two water-based treatments for bromyalgia
syndrome: Watsu and Aix massage. Journal of Bodywork
and Movement Therapies 9(3):202210.
4 11 REFERENCES
[9] Con SC, Duck, WO, and Shim, JH. 2005. Watsu ap-
proach for improving spasticity and ambulatory function
in hemiparetic patients with stroke. Physiotherapy Re-
search International 14(2):128136.
[10] Blessing A and Blessing H. 2008. Watsu pool design and
care. pp 186-193, Appendix G In: Dull, H. Watsu: free-
ing the body in water, 4th edition. Watsu Publishing.
ISBN 978-1605853710.
5
12 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses
12.1 Text
Watsu Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watsu?oldid=627381038 Contributors: Cydebot, Stepheng3, TheProfessor and Nyashinski
12.2 Images
12.3 Content license
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0