What is deep tissue massage?
Deep tissue massage is a massage technique that’s mainly used to treat musculoskeletal issues, such as strains and sports injuries. It involves applying sustained pressure using slow, deep strokes to target the inner layers of your muscles and connective tissues. This helps to break up scar tissue that forms following an injury and reduce tension in muscle and tissue.
It may also promote faster healing by increasing blood flow and reducing inflammation.
Read on to learn more about deep tissue massage, including how it stacks up against Swedish massage and what to expect during a session.
How does it compare to Swedish massage?
Deep tissue massage and Swedish massage are two different types of massage therapy. Both use some of the same strokes, but they have different uses and vary greatly when it comes to the amount of pressure used.
Here are the key differences between deep tissue massage and Swedish massage:
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Read more about the differences between Swedish massage and deep tissue massage.
What happens during the massage?
Before your deep tissue massage, your massage therapist will want to know about your problem areas. A deep tissue massage can involve your entire body or just one area.
Once ready, you’ll be asked to lie on your back or stomach, under a sheet. Your level of undress is based on your comfort, but the area being worked on will need to be exposed.
The massage therapist will warm up your muscles using a lighter touch. Once you’re warmed up, they’ll start working on your problem areas. They’ll use deep kneading and stroking with varying amounts of intense pressure.
Are there any side effects?
It’s not unusual to have some lingering soreness for a few days following a deep tissue massage. Using a heating pad or a cold pack wrapped in a towel may help to relieve soreness.
Though massage therapy is generally safe, deep tissue massage uses very firm pressure and may not be safe for everyone.
Speak to your doctor before having a deep tissue massage if you:
- have a history of blood clots or a clotting disorder
- are taking blood thinners
- have a bleeding disorder
- have cancer or are undergoing cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy or radiation
Anyone with osteoporosis or cancer that’s spread to the bones should avoid deep tissue massage as the firm pressure used may cause a fracture. You should also hold off on deep tissue massages if you’re pregnant. Gentler types of massage, such as Swedish massage, may be a better option.
If you have an open wound or skin infection of any kind, you’ll need to reschedule to avoid developing a new infection or making an existing one worse.
How do I find a therapist?
If you want to try a deep tissue massage, it’s important to work with a qualified massage therapist.
To find a massage therapist:
- ask your doctor or physical therapist for a referral
- ask friends and family for a recommendation
- search the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork’s database
- use the America Massage Therapy Association’s database
As you sort through potential massage therapists, keep a few things in mind:
- Area of focus. Not all massage therapists specialize in deep tissue massage. Some are trained in several types while others focus their practice on one or two. Be sure to ask if they offer deep tissue massage and what conditions they have experience treating.
- Cost. Ask about the cost per session and whether they offer cost-saving incentives, such as a sliding-scale option. You might also want to check with your health insurance provider, as some cover massage therapy, especially for specific conditions.
- Credentials. Ask for credentials and make sure that the therapist is licensed to practice massage therapy in your area. In the United States, most states regulate the massage therapy profession.
The bottom line
Deep tissue massage is best suited for people who engage in highly physical activities, such as running, or those who have an injury or chronic pain.
If you have a low pain threshold or are looking for relief of tense muscles, Swedish massage is gentler and may be a better option. Speak with your doctor before trying deep tissue massage if you have an underlying medical condition.
When was the last time you focused on breathing? Since breathing is not something we need to remember to do, it often goes unnoticed.
Relaxing the body during a massage, or as I like to say, “allowing yourself to be heavy on the table” is the key ingredient for the most effective therapeutic massage possible. In order to attain relaxation of the physical body, your mind must relax and let go. To control your breath is to control your mind. Learn to relax the mind and the body will follow.
Sounds simple, right? Not always. Many find it difficult to quiet the mind during a massage. The mind begins to go from one thought to the next, forgetting to relax, and before you know it, the massage is over. We become stuck in cyclical stress thinking of day to day life and responsibilities. Stress becomes the norm. Tension is piled onto muscles already tight, aching from preexisting injuries from sports and trauma, postural misalignments from sitting at a computer, looking at your phone, standing on your feet, and so on… Releasing muscle tension and correcting misalignments through therapeutic massage and bodywork is your massage therapist main goal.
The duration of your massage is YOUR time to let go of anything and everything before and after the massage. Breathing is the simplest way to relax your body. When you fully exhale, then inhale directing all the air to the belly, and repeat this practice, the brain naturally switches from fight or flight (the sympathetic nervous system), to rest and digest. This allows the parasympathetic nervous system to work its magic. The overworked, tense muscles of the neck, shoulders and chest will ease. The ability to embrace deep tissue massage work, without the constriction and unnecessary pain from the “fight” reaction from your muscles will occur. The activation of the parasympathetic nervous system lowers pain receptors in the body. Deeper “belly” breathing (diaphragmatic breathing) encourages the diaphragm to move freely, making space between the ribs and abdomen, elongating the torso, and strengthening abdominal muscles. This exercise massages internal organs, lowers blood pressure, and helps the body to work more efficiently in eliminating waste and toxins in the body. Basically, therapeutic massage and deep breathing work beautifully together, supporting and amplifying each others many healing and beneficial attributes.
My first question I ask every client is “How are you feeling today?” At the beginning of each session I silently assess the breath and by incorporating the simple diaphragmatic breathing practice, I gently bring your attention to relaxation and restoration. “Take a slow, deep, complete, breath.” I do the same. And if I notice a client becomes restless or reactive to pressure, I will ask again, “lets take a slow, deep, complete, breath.”. The results are immediate and apparent to the client and massage therapist.
We want you to walk out of your massage and feel a difference, relief in problem areas, happy and satisfied with optimal results, So, the next time you get a massage, help your massage therapist help you and take a deep breath. Allow yourself to relax and enjoy an overall sense of well being, physically and mentally.
Click here for a video of the belly breathing technique to practice at home
Learning to Love Deep-Tissue Massage
I usually avoid deep-tissue massages, as do most people that I know. Why? They aren’t the light-touch, relax, feel-good, fluffy massages that most considered pampering. Deep Tissue is a wellness treatment that focuses on stress release and pain relief; but many of us also tend to “hurt”. My journey into this new relationship with Deep-Tissue was led by Renee Fonseca, a massage therapist and nutritionist at the Pechanga Resort and Spa.
Spa treatment room at the Pechanga Resort and Spa in Temecula, CA © Pechanga
Learning to love a deep tissue massage and reaping the benefits from it is important. Renee informed me that “Most people are under the impression that deep tissue massages are painful, leave bruises, create soreness, and are not relaxing as a massage should be. Believe it or not, deep tissue massage isn’t meant to be deep and painful. It’s meant to heal beyond the initial layer of muscle and break down the under layers as far as the body will allow the therapist to go.”
Communicate. I consider a deep-tissue massage a “working” massage. While you definitely need to relax your body and mind, you also need to talk to your therapist. During a deep tissue massage, the person working out your kinks will probably be more in-tune with your body than you are. Talk about what hurts, what doesn’t, and fess up to your bad habits so that your therapist knows how to work your body. “Don’t be afraid to voice your pain to the massage therapist and ask for a lighter treatment in certain areas. If you are fully relaxed, it is very rare that you’ll feel pain. Deep breathing and a loose, open body helps with anxiety and lets the body go to release tension. You are in full control of your experience.”-Renee Fonseca
Relax. Renee offered the following tips to unwind:
· Relax the shoulders, bringing them farther and farther away from the ears.
· Open your heart by bringing your shoulders back
· Release the tongue from the roof of your mouth
· Release the tension between the eyebrows
· Be conscious of clenching muscles
· Breathe deep — in through the nose for five breaths, out through the nose for five breaths
Trust your therapist. You can’t fight it, or it won’t work. It’s important to be comfortable with your therapist. Trust their movements as they stretch and knead your body. “The key to a successful and relaxing deep tissue massage is how much you can allow your body to relax, along with a massage therapist who is knowledgeable enough to read your body language. The therapists’ goal is to slowly break through the layers of the muscle, releasing tension.”-Renee Fonseca, Pechanga Resort & Spa
Breathe through it. It’s going to hurt. It’s going to hurt some more. Renee’s mantra through the entire massage was “if it’s hurting, that means it needs work”. Trust your therapist and let her do her thing. If your toes are curling, that means the therapist is doing their job.
Massage Treatment at Pechanga Resort © Pechanga
Open up. Renee offered up some advice to maximize the benefits of deep-tissue, “You can get a massage once a week, but it’s not going to do any good, unless you change what you are doing wrong”. After an hour of working with my muscles, she taught me stretches to help open up my shoulders, and combat the slouch that comes with sitting in front of the computer all day, as well as how to keep your body open instead of tight. Adding a few stretches to your morning routine will help to keep your body flexible and chronic tension at bay.
Drink Water. It’s important to drink a lot of water before and after a deep tissue massage, and not just the small cup that your therapist hands you afterwards. When your muscles are tight, they are constricting the circulation in that general area, keeping your body from flushing out waste. Massage will relax the tension in the muscles, which in turn releases the circulatory pathways and allows nitrogenous waste to dump into your system. Drinking water will help your kidneys flush the waste out.
Be Ready for Side Effects. Deep Tissue massage isn’t without side effects. Get ready for possible muscle soreness, headaches, and sleepiness can all creep up on you after a treatment. Drink more water, relax, use the steam room, and take it easy.
Lastly, Renee advises, “To fully benefit from a deep tissue massage, always be mindful of your posture and relaxation and stretch your muscles on a daily basis. Always be aware of what your body needs.”
