By Ross Forman
Denise Theobald gets a pedicure on a regular basis and, naturally, claims it as a business expense on her taxes.
Theobald, you see, is one of the few therapists in the Chicagoland area who has taken all the advanced classes in ashiatsu oriental bar therapy and is state-certified.
Ashiatsu oriental bar therapy was developed in Colorado 10 years ago and combines the best elements of traditional Thai massage, barefoot shiatsu from Japan and Keralite massage from western India. Her barefoot massage allows for deep, flowing strokes, among other benefits.
'Ashiatsu is a great way to really loosen someone up, and it's very relaxing because it's just a broad-based application, so you can get really, really deep and they can tolerate it,' said Theobard, who has offered professional massages for 18 years. 'Ashiatsu is great for athletes, or people with chronic, chronic tension.'
Ashiatsu has a deep relaxing effect different from other massage styles because of its broad based application. The greater surface of the foot covers more tissue and the body is able to withstand more pressure.
With traditional deep-tissue massages, the therapist uses his or her elbows, fists, knuckles and forearms to apply pressure. The pressure is deep and can, at times, be uncomfortable.
Theobald balances her weight on sturdy bars hanging from the ceiling above the massage table, applying gravitational force in a controlled manner with her feet. She uses the bars for leverage and stability, which help control the pressure applied by her feet. This leads to a structural change in chronic soft tissue damage while providing stretch and elongation of the major muscle groups, which is often impossible to do with your hands. Ashiatsu also provides deep muscle relief, releasing adhesions and stickiness within the muscle and connective tissue while releasing toxins allowing the tissue to heal.
Theobald can massage the entire body with her feet, although she does not work on the abdomen or chest area.
'The advantage of Ashiatsu over traditional massage is, getting deep work without it being uncomfortable. Also, the broad-based compression that is really difficult to get with your hands,' she said.
Theorbald, earlier this year, moved her practice—Deeply Kneaded—into a new location at 5412 N. Clark in Andersonville.
Theobald had more than 60 hours of Ashiatsu training. She is licensed in Illinois, nationally certified through the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, and is a member of the American Massage Therapy Association.
'You'd be amazed what a 20- or 30-minute massage can do for you—mentally and physically,' said the Franklin Park-raised Theobald.
'My background is in athletic training,' she said. 'What I wanted to do was hands-on therapy, but I found out that, in athletic training, it wasn't quite that.'
Though she started doing professional massages years ago, she has taken time away from the work as well—for personal and professional reasons. Theobald, for instance, spent four years traveling the country doing animal massages. She even opened a business that did therapeutic massage on animals, named Pet-rrisage. 'That went real well,' she said of the animal-related gig that she did from 1998-2002.
Theobald also recently went through four years of cancer treatment, though is now 'completely healed,' she said.
Last summer, Theobald, who happens to be a lesbian, coordinated the sports recovery team in Gay Games VII, held in Chicago. She arranged for massage therapists to be stationed at all of the Games' sports villages across the city, with each village's team consisting of 20 therapists or more. She also coordinated massages during the week of the Games at the Chicago Hilton Hotel, the Games' headquarters.
About 90 percent of the Games' massages from Theobald's team of therapists were for athletes; about 10 percent were for staff and volunteers. In total, Theobald coordinated more than 6,000 free massages.
'The Games really put me back in touch with my profession. I used my experience and networking ability,' to help make the experience an overall success, she said. Theobald used students and volunteers, including 20 non-Chicago-based therapists.
'The Gay Games really helped me get rejuvenated, helped put me back into the community.'
In addition to Ashiatsu, Deeply Kneaded offers Swedish massages; deep-tissue massages; sports massages; trigger point/neuromuscular massages; orthopedic assessment and massages; and fusion-blend massages.
E-mail denise@deeplykneaded.com or call 773-301-7387.