Deep Tissue = Deep Relief

Deep tissue massage focuses on painful, stiff "trouble spots" in your body. The therapist uses slow, deliberate strokes that focus pressure on layers of muscles, tendons, or other tissues deep under your skin. Though less rhythmic than other types of massage, deep tissue massage can be quite therapeutic -- relieving chronic patterns of tension and helping with muscle injuries, such as back sprain.

Best For

Chronically tight or painful muscles, repetitive strain, postural problems, or recovery from injury.

What is Deep Tissue Massage?

Deep tissue massage is a type of massage therapy that focuses on realigning deeper layers of muscles and connective tissue. It is especially helpful for chronically tense and contracted areas such as stiff necks, low back tightness, and sore shoulders.

Techniques that utilize deep-tissue/deep-muscle massage are administered to affect the sub-layer of musculature and fascia. These techniques require advanced training and a thorough understanding of anatomy and physiology. The muscles must be relaxed in order to effectively perform deep-tissue massage, otherwise tight surface muscles prevent the practitioner from reaching deeper musculature. It helps with chronic muscular pain and injury rehabilitation and reduces inflammation-related pain caused by arthritis and tendinitis. It is generally integrated with other massage techniques.

Some of the same strokes are used as classic massage therapy, but the movement is slower and the pressure is deeper and concentrated on areas of tension and pain.

How Does Deep Tissue Massage Work?

When a client has chronic muscle tension or injury, therapists usually find adhesions (bands of painful, rigid tissue) in muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Adhesions can block circulation and cause pain, limited movement, and inflammation.

Deep tissue massage works by physically breaking down these adhesions to relieve pain and restore normal movement. To do this, the massage therapist often uses direct deep pressure or friction applied across the grain of the muscles.

What Can I Expect During My Visit?

Massage therapists may use fingertips, knuckles, hands, elbows, and forearms during the deep tissue massage.  You may be asked to breathe deeply as the massage therapist works on certain tense areas.

Will Deep Tissue Massage Hurt?

At certain points during the massage, most people find experience some discomfort.  It is important to tell the massage therapist when things hurt and if any soreness or pain you experience is outside your comfort range.

Clients often have some stiffness or pain after a deep tissue massage, but it should subside within a day or so. The massage therapist may recommend applying an epsom salt bath or ice to a specific area after the massage.

Benefits of Deep Tissue Massage

Deep tissue massage is designed to relieve severe tension in the muscle and the connective tissue or fascia. This type of massage focuses on the muscles located below the surface of the top muscles. Deep tissue massage is often recommended for individuals who experience consistent pain, are involved in heavy physical activity (such as athletes), and clients who have sustained physical injury. It is not uncommon for receivers of deep tissue massage to have their pain replaced with a new muscle ache for a day or two.

Unlike classic massage therapy, which is used for relaxation, deep tissue massage usually focuses on a specific problem, such as:

• Chronic pain
• Limited mobility
• Recovery from injuries (e.g. whiplash, falls, sports injury)
• Repetitive strain injury, such as carpal tunnel syndrome
• Postural problems
• Ostearthritis pain
• Fibromyalgia
• Muscle tension or spasm

According to Consumer Reports magazine, 34,000 people ranked deep tissue massage more effective in relieving osteoarthritis pain than physical therapy, exercise, prescription medications, chiropractic, acupuncture, diet, glucosamine and over-the-counter drugs.

Deep tissue massage also received a top ranking for fibromyalgia pain. People often notice improved range of motion immediately after a deep tissue massage.