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Keri Brenner can be reached at 360-754-5435 or kbrenner@theolympian.com.
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Get a leg up on massage
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Tony OvermanBethany McCleary, a licensed massage practitioner, demonstrates Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy on Jay Barrett of Olympia at her Deep Feet Massage of Olympia clinic. The technique offsets strain therapists endure. (Tony Overman/The Olympian)
Anytime I hear "feet" and "massage" in the same sentence, I am immediately interested.
Usually, the reference is to someone kneading, pummelling or otherwise putting pressure on your feet in a way that is stress-relieving, comforting and relaxing.
What's new and different, however, is not "foot massage." It is "massage by foot."
Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy is a massage technique where the therapist, holding onto a ceiling bar for balance, applies firm yet controlled pressure using a combination of body weight and bare feet, with massage oil for lubrication. The technique can involve one or two feet, depending on the delicacy of the client's body.
Ruthie Piper Hardee, a massage therapist in Denver, f ounded Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy more than a decade ago as a way to give a strong and effective deep-tissue massage and offset the constant strain on the massage therapist's back, wrists and hands. Hardee, who had disk pain and a spinal condition called scoliosis, was interested in sparing her back.
In 1990, Hardee was working on a movie location set, giving massages to cast and crew members. During a challenging deep- tissue session on a particularly muscular and bulky stunt man, Hardee took hold of the ceiling grid in the trailer and did the rest of the massage with her bare feet.
The stunt man, who had no idea that feet were involved, said later it was the best professional massage he ever had.
Thus was born the seed of the idea that eventually became Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy. Promoters say it allows for firm but not painful pressure and is easier for the massage therapist to perform.
"It's what I like myself, so that's what I learned to do," says Bethany McCleary, a licensed massage practitioner who trained in the technique with an instructor in Everett.
McCleary opened her studio, Deep Feet Massage of Olympia, in February. She says the practice is in the middle, pressure-wise, between a traditional Swedish massage and intense deep-tissue work.
"There's a broader feel than Swedish," McCleary said.
McCleary, a Capital High School graduate, received her basic massage training at the Ashland Institute of Massage in Oregon. After learning the Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy technique, she returned to her childhood home in west Olympia to set up her massage practice.
She also received a state license to practice massage. Washington requires 500 hours of training from an accredited school and the successful completion of a national written exam.
Most of the "massage by foot" is done while clients are lying face down. For men, McCleary usually uses two-footed techniques because their musculature can han dle it. Women generally receive the one-foo t style for most of the work - although McCleary sometimes will use two feet on women for certain types of movements.
McCleary also does conventional hands-on massage.
Some people might assume "massage by foot" is the same as having your spouse walk on your back. While that practice might be appealing, it can be dangerous with too much pressure on the vertebrae or if the spine is pushed the wrong way.
With Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy, licensed massage therapists are certified in the technique and trained to apply foot pressure correctly.
"Safe application is the main focus of our curriculum," Hardee writes.
Having experienced "massage by foot" myself, I can recommend adding it to your repertoire of choices from this area's already rich menu of massage specialties.
It certainly gives new meaning to the concept of "relaxing from head to toe."
Keri Brenner writes for The Olympian. She has a master's degree in Oriental medicine and acupuncture from the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine in Portland. She can be reached at kbrenner@theolympian.com.
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