Deep-Tissue Massage

     The deepest layers of the muscle tissue receive the focus of this technique. When muscles are overused or stressed it causes the tissues to block oxygen and nutrients from circulating. This stress can cause fatigue, pain and discomfort throughout the body. From this, adhesions or “knots” can form in certain muscles. The only way to rid your body of these is through deep and intensive Massage Therapy.

     Stripping, Cross-Friction, Firm Pressure, along with Trigger Point therapy are a few of the modalities used to release blockages and deeply held patterns of tension. This treatment is both therapeutic and corrective for the entire body. During treatment the client can expect to feel intensity through each stroke and eventually the muscles will release and return to their original state.

     Some muscle tension and adhesions, which have been present for a long duration of time, may require multiple Deep-Tissue Massage sessions before being released.

False thinking about Deep-Tissue:

Most people think that a massage with a lot of pressure is a "Deep- Tissue" massage, but the reality is "Deep-tissue" is a technique that is used rather than a type of massage given for a full session. It is used in conjunction with Swedish to isolate a specific muscle that is showing signs of injury or overuse. Many people prefer a Swedish massage with a lot, or deep, pressure.

Deep is a word in massage that is both accurate and inaccurate. The more a therapist warms up the muscle tissue the less pain, or pressure a person may feel. I can put a lot of body weight into a stroke in one area and the client may not feel that the stroke is "deep." I can then move to another area and gently touch a person and they may say it's too "deep." Pressure, then, or depth, is in the eye of the beholder, and many factors will determine if a massage feels firm enough. One factor may be how warm the muscles get during the first few minutes of massage. Another would be if enough water has been consumed in the day prior to the massage. Yet another may be how focused the therapist is on the massage they are giving. The best thing to do, as the client, is let me know if you would like more or less pressure, and remember having a massage hurt, or insisting on getting a real heavy handed massage, may not be in your best interest. If you are stiffening a muscle against the stroke of the therapist, not only are you losing out on many of the benefits to massage, but I'm working a lot harder, with less result.