Acupressure is a manual therapy technique that involves applying pressure to specific points on the body to relieve pain and muscle tension. It's based on the traditional Chinese medicine practice of acupuncture, and is used in some types of massage therapy. Acupressure is said to work by activating acupoints across the meridians, which are channels inside the body that are thought to correct an imbalance in Qi (life energy). The goal is to encourage the movement of Qi through these channels.