Research + Evidence
The below is a list of articles and studies that address the efficacy of Shiatsu for treating a range of different complaints. This is not a complete list. We are always looking to keep this list current. Get in touch if your favourite study does not appear, below.
Note: some of the articles are behind paywalls, check your library for subscription and access.
Photo: Lilly at Body Stillness, image by Brad Harris
Practicing Shiatsu in Australia: A workforce survey
Emma Strapps, Jennifer Hunter, Dorothy Douglas, Paul Spence
Published by Advances in Integrative Medicine,Volume 7, Issue 2,2020,Pages 55-60,
"Results from the first national workforce survey of shiatsu practitioners in Australia suggest Shiatsu practitioners are engaging in the shared care of their clients’ health and wellbeing, including referrals or recommendations to other healthcare practitioners. Practitioner characteristics generally align with those reported for the broader field of CM in Australia and shiatsu practitioners in Western Europe. Reported positive outcomes for chronic diseases and common yet difficult-to-treat symptoms signal areas for future clinical research."
Jason Chong.
Published by JATMS. Spring 2023
"As bodywork therapists, we all have an amazing gift to provide to our clients in the post-pandemic space. We can provide connection, healing and support while dissolving the barriers that can keep us isolated. By leading our clients back to reconnection through touch, we can truly be the imperial fire that guides our communities to restoring wholeness. This is more important now than ever before."
Manjung Kim and Jaehee Kim
Published by the Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine, February 2021
"The 4-week acupressure intervention showed significant reduction in pain and improvement in neck disability and flexibility, suggesting that acupressure intervention is an effective treatment for chronic neck pain."
Tara Schintler, Georgia Taylor, Juliet Watson
Further acknowledgement to Alex Caldwell, for her contribution and commitment to the WestCASA Body-Based Therapies Program and the development of this report.
Published by Western Region Centre Against Sexual Assault, 2020
"This evaluation of providing a trauma-informed body-based program alongside talk-based therapy within a sexual assault service offers evidence of how such a holistic approach can alleviate the impact of trauma, and suggests the benefits of such a union."
Carey Brown, Annette Rivard, Kathy Reid, Bruce Dick, Leisa Bellmore, Pei Qin, Vineet Prasad, Yuluan Wang
Published in by International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork, Vol. 13 No. 4 (2020), pp 3-11
"Contrary to objective findings, self-report data support the technique of HSS [hand self-shiatsu] to improve sleep. Participants’ comments reflected an overall high level of acceptance and appreciation for the HSS technique. Results highlight the importance of expanding the theory and practice related to sleep measurement to better integrate the qualitative domain."
Stergios Tsiormpatzis
Published by European Journal of Integrative Medicine, Vol. 32, December 2019
"Shiatsu was able to improve some domains of the HRQoL of the specific person with SPMS. It was a safe treatment with no adverse events. Mixed methods n-of-1 trial within a WSR case study was an appropriate design for the study."
Daiki Kobaysahi, Takuro Shimbo, Hana Hayashi, Osamu Takahashi
Published in Complementary Therapies in Medicine, Volume 45, August 2019, pp 33-37
The efficacy was evaluated with well-validated scores for lower back pain and disability.
Shiatsu therapy improves both symptoms and QOL [quality of life] shortly after Shiatsu therapy."
I-Hui Chen RN, PhD, Tzu-Pei RN, PhD, Yuen-Chen Yeh RN, PhD, Mei-Ju Chi PhD, Mei-Wen Chen RN, PhD, Yin-Yi Lien BS, Chih-Fen Yuan RN, PhD
Published in Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, In Press, Available online 20 February 2019
Prospective, randomised, double-blind, sham-controlled trial. Sixty-two nursing home residents with poor sleep quality and psychological distress participated.
"Acupressure at true acupoints improves sleep quality, reduces psychological distress, and provides more clinically beneficial effects compared with that at sham points."
Neil Browne, Philippa Bush, Fernando Cabo
​Published in the European Journal of Integrative Medicine, Vol. 21, August 2018, pp 27-33
"Anxiety, stress management and pain scores were the most improved. Wellbeing scores also improved, on average, by two points on the Likert scale. Patients stated that 'being listened to' and 'being heard' were important factors when describing how Shiatsu had helped."
Giuseppe Lanza, Stella Silvia Centonze, Gera Destro, Veronica Vella, Maria Bellomo, Manuela Pennisi, Rita Bella, Domenico Ciavardelli
Published in Complementary Therapies in Medicine Vol 38, June 2018, pp 74-78
"The combination of Shiatsu and physical activity improved depression in AD patients compared to physical activity alone. The pathemechanism might involve neuroendocrine-mediated effects of Shiatsu on neural circuits implicated in mood and affect regulation."
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S Geremia, A Bin, T Bulfone, A Zanini, M Barbara
Published in Annals of Oncology, Vol 28, Supplement 6, October 2017, pp vi110-111
"Shiatsu is a complementary mind-body treatment; it can be considered like a psychophysical help during oncology disease. It could also be considered as a resource for well being, relaxation, and life quality improvement."
Veronica Villani, Luca Prosperino, Fulvio Palombini, Francesco Orzi, Giuliano Sette
Published in Neuralogical Sciences 2017, online 10 March 2017 Copyright Springer-Verlag Italia 2017
"This article presents the findings from a single-blind, randomised trial investigating the effect of combining shiatsu plus amitriptyline for patients with refractory headaches. Although the combination did not provide any additive/synergistic effect, the shiatsu was superior to amitriptyline in reducing the number of pain killers taken per month. There was no safety concern for shiatsu (alone or in combination)."
Hanan F Abbas Soliman, Eman A Soliman El-Hosary
Published in International Journal of Nursing Didactics, 7: 4 April 2017
'Based on the findings of the present study, it was concluded that the shiatsu group had a significant reduction in the severity of primary dysmenorrhoea pain and symptoms after using the shiatsu therapy at "sea of energy" point.'
Daniel Pach, Mike Piper, Fabian Lotz, Thomas Reinhold, Mirja Dombrowski, Yinghui Chang, Susanne Blödt, Gabriele Rotter, Katja Icke,1 and Claudia M. Witt
Published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, October 2017
"An additional treatment with six tuina sessions over 3 weeks was effective, safe and relatively cost-effective for patients with chronic neck pain. A future trial should compare tuina to other best care options."