Massage Therapy Journal Winter 2025

Winter 2025 • 29

of food, water and oxygen. Several older clients come in simply to be touched after their loved ones have passed or become disabled and are unable to provide the touch they once shared.” —BROOKE FLASPOHLER, LMT “ I do not believe the value of human touch is replaceable. I have tried some of the touchless therapies and, while relaxing and interesting, success depends on what the goal of the massage client is. Relaxation, targeted muscle contractions, mental well being, each client is a puzzle and it’s the job of the therapist to utilize the tools in their toolbox to unlock the way to reach them.” —RANDI N WEST, BCTMB, LMT, CMLDT “I would never expect anyone serious about massage to consider an AI massage table. How can a machine replace personal touch? We have spent years convincing people that personal touch is part of the experience. I believe that there is an energetic experience that is shared that a machine cannot replace.” —JESSIE GREENBAUM Stephenson and Nunez respond: Stephenson: Research is showing the majority of therapeutic outcomes from traditional massage are coming from the therapeutic alliance between the therapist and client more than any technique or modality. A machine will never replace personal human touch—and that is precisely the point. It is not meant to. Robotic massage is not intended to replace a human and, by definition, never can. Currently, only about 20% of Americans receive massage therapy on an annual basis. In addition, ISPA research suggests there is a shortage of around 29,000 massage practitioners in the U.S. What this technology enables is for non-massage users to have an option to receive massage that may overcome some of the objections they have historically voiced . And, it may potentially provide a gateway experience into eventually feeling comfortable receiving human touch.

the Aescape team, I was running operations for luxury spas with Four Seasons and Marriott, and fully understood the challenges of staffing spas to meet the incredible demand of guests wanting high-quality massage experiences,” Nunez recalls. “Aescape is poised to alleviate many of these challenges.” But more importantly, Nunez says, he is a massage junkie. “I have received over 1,000 massages, and have hired, trained and worked with hundreds of massage therapists in my life, so I know what good massage feels like,” he says. “After my first Aescape massage over three years ago, I knew this was something special, and felt strongly that I wanted to participate in the evolution of this technology.” Paying close attention to how Aescape is merged within the massage community is important to Nunez, who also thinks seriously about how the company can collaborate to bring out the best for people finding relief through massage therapy. Some massage therapists were very frank about their disbelief that automated massage could rival human touch: “I find the idea ridiculous. So much of what we do is about connection and touch. I am a deep tissue therapist. It takes being ‘mindful.’ A robot does not know how to be mindful. They can’t give or receive empathy, kindness.” —TARA WAGNER, LMT, MASSAGELUXE “So much of the benefits of massage come from human touch. Touch is the first sense that is developed, and absent accidents/trauma, it remains long after we lose our other senses. It is how we connect when we can’t use words. Our skin never takes a break, therefore is always ready to receive signals/messages. Animals that are touch deprived become more aggressive. Babies are more likely to calm down when being held rather than being given something to mimic human touch. This is because touch is our most root survival tool, our most basic need outside

Aescape, a robotics company focused on the wellness space, is looking to change the narrative about robotics within

the massage community.

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