The Shiatsu Society has been engaged in research to support and promote an evidence base for its use. By research, we mean tasks that allow us to measure and explore why and how shiatsu works, for whom, for how long. The purpose is to gather findings that may help us further or modify our practice, to answer unanswered questions, and to present these to the wider health and social care community.

There is much debate in the world of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) research as to the best way of researching shiatsu. Senior shiatsu practitioner Carola Beresford-Cooke gives a very helpful perspective on this debate in the preface to a recently completed review of studies on shiatsu and acupressure.

The Shiatsu Society has a research sub-committee, made up of members of the Shiatsu Society. Some of these members have research-specific backgrounds and some do not, but not all have a dedication to the importance of research in support of shiatsu. We meet regularly in a virtual environment and come together for formal meetings a couple of times a year. Our remit is to support research in line with promoting the safe practice of shiatsu and to ensure that that research is published to fellow practitioners, the wider health community and the general public.

If you are a Shiatsu Society member and have a specific question related to research, we invite you to post it on our Research forum.

While many Shiatsu Society members have conducted research into shiatsu, three noteworthy pieces of research are summarised on the Current and Published Research page.