Yi Li Traditional Rehabilitation and Massage Clinic ReviewPhysical therapy background, traditional bone setting with modern techniques

Yili Traditional Massage is located on Datong 2nd Road in Kaohsiung's Qianjin District, about 550 meters from Kaohsiung MRT Qianjin Station, just a 5 to 8-minute walk away. There are also bus stops nearby, and whether you arrive by scooter or car, parking spaces are readily available, so there's no need to worry about parking.

Director Chen Liang-yu, a physical therapy graduate, brings nearly 20 years of experience from hospitals and clinics, including serving as a sideline physical therapist for sports events. His long-standing dedication to Kaohsiung Massage has earned him a loyal following, making his venue a highly trusted choice.

Yili Traditional Massage in Qianjin District operates Monday through Saturday, 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM, by appointment only, with Director Chen personally providing services to ensure quality. While the venue is closed on Sundays, early booking may allow for Sunday service.

The service space is clean, bright, and equipped with new facilities, including electric heating pads for hot compresses and an electric massage bed. They also use the Hypervolt Plus massage gun, favored by professional athletes and teams in the NBA and MLB, to effectively relax muscles—a benefit that extends to elderly clients.

Yili Traditional Massage offers a range of services, with therapists thoroughly inquiring about discomfort and lifestyle habits, then conducting a physical assessment to pinpoint the root cause of issues and provide tailored recommendations.

Services include full-body balance adjustments, fascia knife therapy, fascial release, cupping, localized treatments, sports taping, pelvic adjustments, and sports massage.

Pricing is based on service duration, not specific treatments, with adjustments starting from just NT$300.

Director Chen, who previously served as a physical therapist for sports events, provides sports Kaohsiung Massage services.

Unlike traditional acupressure, sports massage is based on muscle anatomy. It targets fascial lines to locate adhesion points, restoring muscle elasticity, relieving tension, and increasing flexibility. These sessions also promote blood circulation and lactic acid metabolism, reducing fatigue and preventing sports injuries.

Yili Traditional Massage also offers athletic taping services, using elastic tape on specific areas. The tape's tension influences muscle and joint movement, alleviating discomfort from intense exercise and improving athletic performance.

Director Chen has previously provided immediate assistance to athletes at events such as taekwondo competitions and marathons. In the future, Yili Traditional Massage plans to collaborate with gyms to offer post-workout relief and relaxation, or measures to prevent sports injuries.

Yili Traditional Massage is also a highly recommended venue for Kaohsiung Massage, where pelvic adjustments are performed using manual techniques and specialized equipment to realign the pelvis, improve surrounding soft tissues, correct posture, alleviate pain, and enhance overall body shape.

In addition, Yili Traditional Massage offers localized pain relief for smaller areas, targeting specific body parts with massage, hot or cold compresses, and muscle relaxation techniques such as fascia guns or fascia knives.

May's visit to Yili Traditional Massage began with a detailed consultation where Director Chen inquired about her discomfort, work, and lifestyle habits, followed by a physical assessment. May's job involves long hours at the computer, often with crossed legs, a hunched back, and leaning forward, which has led to a slight hunch in her standing posture and uneven shoulders.

After the assessment, Director Chen started with a full-body balancing treatment.

Once on the massage bed, May's session began with an electric blanket to boost circulation, followed by a series of pressing, kneading, pinching, and rubbing motions using palms, fingers, or elbows to relieve muscle tension.

Throughout the session, Director Chen checked in, asking if the pressure was too intense. He advised keeping the soreness level around a 5 out of 10, and to speak up immediately if it exceeded that, so he could adjust his technique. He aims for a comfortable experience, not one that would deter clients from returning.

Because May regularly works out but often neglects post-exercise cool-downs, the director immediately noticed fascial adhesion issues upon examination.

For these areas, the director performed fascial release to loosen the fascia and improve soft tissue mobility, while also realigning displaced bones to restore normal joint function. He also noted that some people with a slight leg length discrepancy often have a pseudo-discrepancy caused by uneven muscle use, which can be corrected through full-body balancing.

The session also included a professional fascia knife, which gently scrapes the body's surface to deeply release fascia, alleviate muscle discomfort, boost circulation, and prevent soft tissue fibrosis.

After the fascia knife was used on her inner arm, our mystery shopper May immediately felt her blood flowing more freely. Usually, her hands and feet are perpetually cold, but this time, her entire arm warmed up.

However, Director Chen also reminds us that while fascial knives can be used by anyone, their small contact area with the skin means they should not be used with excessive force, to avoid skin damage.

Additionally, the massage time for each area should not be too long, and you should avoid over-massaging bony protrusions and areas rich in blood vessels, to prevent muscle damage.

While similar to traditional gua sha, May didn't have any of the typical red marks afterward, which shows Director Chen's precise control and excellent technique.