Deep Tissue Massage & Its Benefits

Many people I have both met and massaged have a wide variety of ideas & tales concerning their experiences with deep tissue massage.  Some find it scary or the idea of it scary, assuming it involves a large amount of pain or discomfort in the receiving (& in the day or two after recuperating).  Others grin in an almost salacious manner, confirming the fact that there is no other massage that they would get - that deep tissue is the only way to go.  And still others have no idea what it is, what it feels like, or how it differs from a good ol' swedish massage.  So then, what IS it all about?

Generally speaking, many of the strokes used in a deep tissue massage are similar to those used in a swedish massage.  The difference lies in the pressure level.  It is a level that should be more intense ("deeper") and one that feels as though it is truly renegotiating - via force - the state of the muscle being massaged.  That being said, a deep tissue massage should not put one in pain.  As was often quoted by my teachers while I was in massage school, the pain level of any massage should only go up to a level "7" in a scale of 1-10.

In addition to swedish style strokes of more intense pressure, a deep tissue massage also employs cross fiber friction strokes (strokes that go against the grain of a muscle fibers instead of with the grain), trigger point therapy (holding direct, sustained pressure on a particular muscle knot that may radiate & refer pain), and the use of forearms, elbows, fingers, thumbs and even wooden or ceramic tools.  In addition to the level of force being different, the speed of the stroke is slower & much more direct.  In fact, an area of particular muscle tension may be "held" by this sustained pressure for a few minutes in order to "release" the muscle.  "Releasing" the muscle means forcing it, via specified pressure & temporary starvation of blood flow, to change & let go of its level of congestion or adhesion.

And this, such release, is why deep tissue massages are both so popular and so successful.  It pinpoints the deeper structural tissues of fascia and muscles and helps reeducate these areas.  This reeducation is particularly beneficial if these areas have been subject to the build-up of knots & adhesions (because of stress, overuse or misuse) or if they have a build-up of scar tissue.  Adhesions due to stressed muscles not only compromise muscle performance, but can often block nutrients, blood-flow and oxygen from freely flowing within the muscular-skeletal system.  This creates inflammation and an accumulation of toxins within muscles, which therefore causes pain and more stress.  Deep tissue work helps break up and release these areas of toxin build-up and, therefore, enables nutrients, blood and oxygen to circulate more properly.

For these reasons, deep tissue massage has been highly successful for people with both Fibromyalgia and Osteoarthritis.  Additionally, it proves beneficial for people stuck at the desk - people who might have muscle knots & adhesions due to stress and maintained poor posture.  Deep tissue massage is also beneficial for the opposite - athletes, whose physical rigor may create very specific areas of congestion and stress or whose injuries may have caused an accumulation of scar tissue.

The fact that its benefits are so comprehensive still doesn't answer the question as to why some people salaciously grin when asked about there enjoyment of deep tissue massage.  Well, an idea behind such reactions of pure pleasure is that deep tissue work aids in the release of endorphins throughout one's body - in effect, creating a natural high.  Speaking from experience (I almost only get deep tissue massages - they, & yoga, are the primary ways I properly & regularly maintenance my body), the proof is in the pudding - I always feel not only immeasurably relaxed, but totally zoned out right after a good deep tissue session.

If you decide on taking the deep tissue plunge, always make sure to drink lots of water in order to flush out all the toxins that may be released after the session.  Especially if it is your first time, also make sure to communicate thoroughly with your massage therapist about what pressure level best suites you.  That level can be made more intense with subsequent massages, but it is my belief that starting off safe (and not too painful!) is always the best protocol.  And remember, just like after a good workout,  you most likely WILL be sore for a few days after the treatment...