Deep Tissue Massage

What is Deep Tissue Massage?

Deep Tissue Massage is a type of massage therapy that incorporates deep massage techniques, whilst using firm pressures and slow strokes to reach the deeper layers of muscle tissue, tendons and fascia (the connective tissue surrounding muscles). It's used for chronic aches, pain and contracted areas such as a stiff neck and upper back, low back pain, leg muscle and connective tissue tightness, and sore shoulders.

While some of the strokes may feel the same as those used during a Swedish Massage, Deep Tissue Massage isn't the same as having a regular massage with deep pressure. The techniques used break up scar tissue and physically break down muscle "knots" or adhesions (bands of painful, rigid tissue) that can disrupt circulation and cause pain, limited range of motion, and inflammation. At the beginning of the massage, lighter pressure is generally applied to warm up and prep the muscles. Specific techniques are then applied. The most common techniques include:

Stripping - deep, gliding pressure along the length of the muscle fibres using the elbow, forearm, knuckles, and thumbs.

Friction - pressure applied across the grain of a muscle to release adhesions and realign tissue fibres.

What are the benefits of Deep Tissue Massage

Deep Tissue Massage usually focusses on alleviating certain muscular and skeletal conditions, including tension headaches and poor posture and will often require a series of treatments to provide maximum benefit.

Deep Tissue Massage can help with:

• Reducing Chronic Pain: Deep tissue massage is commonly used to release long term or chronic muscle pain and restriction.
• Improving Blood Pressure: Deep tissue massage helps ease stress and tension, which can have a beneficial effect on blood pressure.
• Break up Scar Tissue: Over time, deep tissue massage therapy can help break up and eventually erase scar tissue.
• Improving Flexibility and Suppleness: By working on muscles, connective tissues, tendons, ligaments, and joints, regular massage can improve flexibility and range of motion, keeping the joints more fluid and making them less prone to injury.
• Stress Relief: For people who suffer from chronic stress deep tissue massage can provide relief.
• Rehabilitates Injured Muscles: Deep-tissue massage can be an effective treatment for injured muscles. Because it facilitates the movement of toxins from the muscles and helps stretch tight or twisted muscle mass, deep-tissue massage can help promote healing. Because massage also helps relax muscles, it can reduce the pain caused by injuries too. Deep-tissue massage is frequently used to rehabilitate sports injuries.