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Why do we need a particular methodology for research of Shiatsu?

By Seamus Connolly, Research Project Co-ordinator.

The importance of developing a particular methodology for the research of Shiatsu is to do a study that has the capacity to demonstrate Shiatsu's unique characteristics and it's range of positive effects for clients.

The randomised controlled trial (RCT) is the dominant form of medical research. This methodology does not have the capacity to research Shiatsu's unique characteristics because it's aim is to "objectify" both the treatment and the study of it, i.e. to deliberately exclude precisely those characteristics that make Shiatsu unique, charteristics such as the therapeutic relationship and the totally individual nature of each treatment.

The randomised controlled trial was developed to research very precise applications such as the effect of a particular drug on a condition precisely diagnosed by a doctor or to compare the effects of two types of treatment. It's exclusive domain is conventional medical research. To engage in it is to enter the medical world. The risk of doing such research could be to offer the medical establishment the opportunity to claim both the practice and the profession of Shiatsu.

The ESF is sure that the project we have now started offers considerable support and an amount of protection to the practice of Shiatsu throughout Europe.

Experiences of the ESF representative of Belgium

Since we started this project our credibility among doctors and the academic world has distinctly increased to the point where the Rector of the RUG and the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Gent has welcomed us to present our 'Shiatsu Day' at the University.

Also, I have recently participated in meetings at the European level on non-conventional medicine and the very fact that we have made this effort to start a scientific research project is giving us greater weight in the debate.

Frans Copers, President of the Belgian Shiatsu Federation.