In addition to dynamic movements and stretches, we also apply self-acupressure and self-shiatsu within Do-In. Although Do-In is over two thousand years old and was developed through empirical practice, there is a growing body of scientific evidence supporting the effectiveness of (self-)acupressure. Practitioners of Do-In and Eastern medicine often find the effects so obvious that the scientific aspect is less important to them. However, for doctors considering referring clients, it can certainly be interesting to know that many studies have now been conducted on this subject.
A recent study (2023) on Self-Acupressure for Stress (SAS) shows that providing educational materials on self-acupressure leads to a significant reduction in stress and an improvement in quality of life, even when taught entirely remotely. - Abbott, R., Hui, E. K.-H., Kao, L., & Tse, V. (2023). Randomized controlled trial of acupressure for perception of stress and health-related quality of life among health care providers during the COVID-19 pandemic: The Self-Acupressure for Stress (SAS) trial. American Journal of Medicine Open, 10, Article 100056.
Scientific reviews on the effectiveness of acupressure (such as Al Eleiwah et al., 2026) often investigate specific points that we also stimulate in Do-In classes, such as Zusanli (ST36) for vital energy and Shenmen (HT7) for deep sleep. Systematic reviews demonstrate that acupressure on specific points significantly improves sleep quality and reduces fatigue. - Al Eleiwah, A. A. E. M. A., Abdalrahim, M. S., Alhusamiah, B. K., & Habashneh, S. (2026). Evaluating the effectiveness of acupressure in managing cancer-related symptoms among patients with various types of cancer: Systematic review. Journal of Integrated Care, 34(1), 75–92.
Research into chronic complaints, such as lower back pain and dysmenorrhea (menstrual pain), confirms that self-acupressure lowers pain intensity. It is often recommended as a 'self-management' strategy to reduce dependence on medication. - Song, H. J., Seo, H.-J., Lee, H., Son, H., Choi, S. M., & Lee, S. (2015). Effect of self-acupressure for symptom management: A systematic review. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 23(1), 68–78.
Menstrual Complaints
Acupressure has also been studied in relation to various complaints. For example, acupressure on Liver 3 and Spleen 6 can reduce painful menstruation. A 2025 study found that acupressure is effective for menstrual pain. It works significantly better than pressure on placebo points.