Karada, Japan’s leading wellness and body therapy brand ,continues to solidify its position as a trailblazer in the Philippine health and wellness industry by providing Filipinos with a revolutionary approach to holistic body care.
Since its launching in the country in 2012, KARADA has earned the trust of thousands of Filipinos seeking non-invasive and holistic alternatives. At the heart of its innovation is the signature AP Balance® therapy, a unique treatment developed in Japan that realigns the Atlas (A) and Pelvis (P) to restore the body’s natural posture and balance. It has become a sought-after treatment offering relief from pain, fatigue, and stress, while promoting long-term physical harmony and wellness. This method combines techniques from chiropractic, osteopathy, and deep muscle therapy
“Karada is a form of body maintenance called “seitai” that your body needs,” says Hanna Stelton, Karada Philippines’ General Manager, who advises regular visits to help correct posture-related pains and alleviate ailments, including cases of Scoliosis,Spondylosis, Frozen Shoulder, Sciatica and more.
It is ideal for people who suffer from body fatigue, poor posture, back or neck pain, muscle tightness or stress-related discomfort. It is beneficial to office workers, athletes and busy parents who need posture correction and over-all body maintenance. For new clients, sessions are recommended once a week to correct imbalances, followed by maintenance sessions once or twice a month.
The therapists at Karada go through tedious and extensive training by Sensei Hiroaki Naruse, FJG International’s Regional Manager and Head Trainer for the Philippines and the equally skilled Iku Sumiya , Assistant Regional manager and assistant head trainer. This ensures the efficacy and safety of various techniques and covers anatomy, physiology, and the challenging AP Balance techniques. Certification is granted only after passing written and practical assessments that are at par with global standards.
“Karada is not a medical clinic,” Stelton says. It does not cure diseases and injuries in the medical sense. “It is preventive and supportive therapy. It provides natural relief because, if there is AP misalignment, it causes chronic pain and discomfort, poor posture, imbalanced movement, mobility issues, fatigue and potentially contributes to dizziness,” adds Sensei Hiro. The AP Balance Treatment helps address these issues.
Each treatment at Karada begins with a consultation and assessment where the client’s current state, problematic areas or conditions, and limitations in mobility are discussed. It is also during this time that the therapists conduct safety measurements to ensure that the client will not be putting themselves at risk.
The AP Balance Body Treatment is a skull adjustment that targets your neck and skull to treat your stress at the Atlas. The therapists also loosen stiff muscles with a whole body dry massage and stretching techniques, promoting better blood circulation and preventing pain from recurring. Clients can also avail add-on treatments that target limbs and extremities, extending the relieving touch of Karada’s practitioners.
To treat misalignment, the spine and pelvis are adjusted gently to promote better balance of the body. Well-trained professional therapists safely use a gentle push and pull mobilization technique to align the spinous process, providing pain relief and satisfaction.
Sensei Hiro addresses misconceptions about cracking and pain, saying “Cracking is not the purpose of the treatment – it is actually a natural sound that can occur during alignment but is not required. The key goal is alignment and muscle balance, not the cracking sound itself. It is not a measure if the treatment is effective or not. Effectiveness comes from proper techniques, not from joint noises. Our methods are gentle, safe and precise.”
Meanwhile, Karada’s unique deep tissue massages and stretching services lie in the masterful body weight technique that penetrates deep, working together with Karada’s specially-made beds that allow therapists to massage and stretch your body in different positions that culminate in a release of tension.
Other treatments include: Foot Reflexology, New services that are being introduced are stretch programs, comprehensive wellness packages (KX Plus) and facial contouring (KOGAO) that combines physical therapy with lifestyle and posture education.
