Deep Tissue Massage Therapy

One form of Massage Therapy is deep tissue massage. This is also referred to as sports massage at times. This massage method applies pressure to tendons, fascia, connective tissue, and muscles under the skin but also the deep down muscles. This is a fairly intense massage compared to say a Swedish massage and is used for many types of people and is therefore not just for athletes as some people believe. We will explore deep tissue massage in this article.

First, what is deep tissue Massage?

This form of massage is a method that explores and applies pressure to the layers of deep muscles and tendons, connective tissue, and fascia mainly. This is done usually by pressure from fingertips as applied by a therapist. How specifically? Well, the therapist utilizes deep pressure via the fingertips in a slow stroking fashion. This can be done by following the grain of the muscle, fascia or tendon or by going actually across the grains of the fibers.

The focus and aim is to release any tension patterns in the fiber. To make patterns of tension stuck down inside go relax and go away. These areas are usually chronically contracted and the friction is applied to the fibers with the fingertips in a direct way while going across the grain.

They are:

• helps to relieve pain
• Helps to promote healing
• teaches and helps the body to realign itself
• can help to eliminate scar tissue by breaking it up
• helps to relieve tension
• soothes and relaxes muscles
• helps the blood circulate better
• helps to increase oxygen flow to muscles

This deep massage method concentrates on specific areas with the therapist using slow and deep massaging strokes. In this way, the massage sinks beyond any superficial layers and goes into the structure of fibers much deeper down. The therapist will do this with compression and long slow strokes. The pressure is applied with the therapists’ :

• Forearms
• Hands
• Knuckles
• Elbows
• Fingertips
• Thumbs
• Fists

Usually there is some lotion, oil or a cream used to help with friction in working into the deeper structures of the fibers. Although this massage therapy concentrates on specific areas usually you will not have much soreness when proper techniques are utilized. However, there might be some soreness just the same but it will be well worth it as a person usually feels really a lot better after a couple of days.

Some possibilities are:

• alleviating or easing tension
• helping with headaches
• reducing or eliminating neck pain
• general pain relief
• reducing or eliminating trigger points
• helping to relieve back pain
• helping to heal a sports injury
• help with soft tissue damage
• reduce discomfort of golfers elbow
• and many more.....

While this from of deep massage can be somewhat uncomfortable at times the therapist will warm the soft tissue before going into deeper fibers. But no matter what the end goal is for the therapy session with deep tissue massage, applying more and more pressure is usually not going to achieve better results or be more effective as there needs to be a whole therapeutic program to achieve the goals. However, by learning some stretches to do at home along with strengthening exercises from the therapist, one can enhance the benefits of utilizing a deep tissue massage therapy program.