What is Deep Tissue Massage?
Deep Tissue massage is an effective therapy for reducing chronic aches and pains, as well as relieving stiffness in areas such as the neck, upper back, lower back, legs, and shoulders. A session typically begins with relaxing Swedish massage techniques, using light and gentle strokes to warm up and prepare the muscles before gradually increasing the pressure from medium to firm.
The focus is on slow, deliberate strokes to target deeper layers of muscle and the fascia, the connective tissue surrounding muscles.
While Deep Tissue massage employs deeper pressure to address the innermost layers of muscle tissue and fascia, it’s not solely about intensity; specific techniques and angles are used to break down muscle knots, adhesions, and scar tissue that disrupt circulation, cause lactic acid buildup and inflammation, limit range of motion, and contribute to pain.
What are the different techniques?
Muscle Stripping – deep, gliding pressure along the length of the muscle fibers using the elbow, forearm, knuckles, and thumbs. Can be done on extended or flexed muscles.
Cross Fiber Friction – pressure applied across the grain of a muscle rather than moving with them to release adhesions and realign tissue fibers. This technique improves mobility, range of motion and reduce scarring within the soft tissue structures of ligament, tendon, and muscle after an injury. It also reduces the crystalline roughness that forms between tendons and their sheaths that can result in painful tendonitis.
Myofascial Release – The word myofascial means muscle tissue (myo) and the connective tissue in and around it (fascia). Myofascial pain often results from muscle injury or repetitive strain. When stressed or injured, muscles often form trigger points, like contracted knots, that cause pain and tightness. Therefore Trigger point therapy will induce myofascial release. Gentle superficial stretches held for 2 minutes or more can also penetrate through many deeper layers and aid in releasing the fascia.
Static pressure – In this technique, the therapist uses their elbows, their knuckles, their thumbs or their fingertips to apply firm pressure on tissues in the body. The motion must be very, very slow in order to properly penetrate each muscle.
Negative pressure– In this technique, the therapist uses suction cups to expand the muscles and separate them so that toxins and metabolic waste, stagnant blood and lymphatic fluids can flow easily as they are released.
Active Stretches – also called PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation) or MET (Muscle energy technique) Where the patient is asked to contract the muscle against static resistance (usually supplied by the therapist). The client is guided through a series of muscle contractions followed by periods of muscle relaxation. This is an effective approach based on the principle of reciprocal inhibition, a theory that explains that muscles on one side of a joint will always relax to accommodate the contraction of muscles on the other side of that joint when indirect pressure is applied. MET is often applied to patients who suffer from muscle spasms.
Passive Stretches – This is simply when the therapist will release and lengthen different muscles and muscle groups by slowly stretching them while the patient remains completely relaxed and unengaged.
Trigger Point Therapy – A trigger point is the contraction mechanism of the muscle locked into a shortened position, the treatment of the trigger point involves unlocking that contraction mechanism. This can be achieved by applying pressure with a finger or other instrument to the trigger point and increasing the pressure as the trigger point “release” and softens. There are a number of variations on this technique and a skilled therapist will choose which is right for each patient and muscle treated.
What are the Benefits?
We have seen this modality significantly reduces stress hormone levels and heart rate while boosting mood and relaxation by triggering the release of oxytocin and serotonin in the body. (Serotonin is a feel-good hormone that promotes the feeling of happiness in a person). Additionally, it has been reported that a single 60 minute deep tissue massage can lower blood pressure.
But when it comes to deep Tissue Massage Therapy we usually focuses on a specific problem such as:
- Chronic muscle pain
- Injury rehabilitation and sport concerns (e.g. whiplash, falls)
- Repetitive strain injury, such as carpal tunnel syndrome
- Postural problems
- Piriformis syndrome (pain caused by sciatica)
- Low back, upper back or neck pain
- Limited mobility
- Muscle tension in the hamstrings, glutes, IT band, legs, quadriceps, trapezius, rhomboids, etc
- Osteoarthritis pain
- Tennis elbow
- Fibromyalgia
According to Consumer Reports magazine, 34,000 people ranked deep tissue massage more effective in relieving osteoarthritis pain than physical therapy, exercise, prescription medications, chiropractic, acupuncture, diet, glucosamine, and over-the-counter drugs.
Will a Deep Tissue Massage Hurt?
At certain points during the massage, you may feel some discomfort or even some pain as the massage therapist works on areas where there are adhesions or scar tissue…to your surprise you may also find yourself thinking “Hmm it hurts so good!”.
However your therapist should aim to work around that fine line and you should always report immediately if you feel pain during the massage. The therapist can easily adjust the technique, the level of pressure or further prep the tissues if the superficial muscles are tense.
This is not a “No Pain No Gain” situation! Pain is not necessarily a sign that the massage is working. In fact, going too deep too fast will make your body tense up and offer resistance by contracting the muscle in response to pain, making it harder for the therapist to reach deeper muscles.
What Can I Expect During My Visit?
After an assessment you will be told the proposed plan of action for the massage treatment.
You may be asked to observe your breathing pattern at specific times as the massage therapist works on tense areas. Your therapist will ask you several times if you are comfortable with the level of pressure.
After this type of massage, it is common to feel some stiffness or soreness, but it should subside within a day or so.
Drinking plenty water after the massage may help to flush the metabolic waste from the tissues allowing you to fully reap the benefit of this modality and make you feel better longer.
Precautions
Deep tissue massage is not for everyone. If you have any conditions and in doubt if massage isn’t recommended for you PLEASE OBTAIN YOUR DOCTOR’S APPROVAL FIRST!
- If you have or are at risk of having blood clots (e.g. thrombophlebitis or deep vein thrombosis) due to the risk that they may become dislodged.
- If you’ve had recent surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, or any other medical procedure.
- If you have osteoporosis we should avoid the deeper pressure of this type of massage.
- If you have certain conditions, such as ankylosing spondylitis, deep tissue massage may not be tolerable.
- We will avoid working directly over bruises, inflamed or infected skin, skin rashes, unhealed or open wounds, tumors, abdominal hernia, fragile bones, or areas of recent fractures.
Possible Side Effects
Deep tissue massage may result in bruising, however during my 22 years long career I have personally never gotten feedback reporting bruises. Case reports have reported venous thromboembolism, spinal accessory neuropathy, hepatic hematoma, and posterior interosseous syndrome after deep tissue massage.
Be sure to contact your massage therapist to report any concerns or positive feedback as well!
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For more assistance text/call Shakti at: 650-906-4202
ifeelgood@shaktiwellnessmassage.com
Your Partner in Health and Consciousness,
Shakti.
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Disclaimer: The information contained on this site is intended for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for advice, diagnosis or treatment by a licensed physician. It is not meant to cover all possible precautions, drug interactions, circumstances or adverse effects. You should seek prompt medical care for any health issues and consult your doctor before using alternative medicine/treatment or making a change to your regimen.
