Deep tissue massage is often called, deep massage tissue. It’s the same thing.
Deep massage tissue is where your massage therapist works the muscle with deep pressure to release your body and the muscles and their connective tissue. Your muscle is made up of layers of fibres which overlap and interconnect. They’re sticky. So when one part of your muscle suffers with muscle tension, it sticks to the rest and creates a knock on effect. This massage technique works deep into the body of muscle to treat and to release tension and cure pain.
Benefits of deep tissue massage
- We can isolate any one area for the deeper work, such as your upper back or lower back pain.
- Working scar tissue is possible, although we will usually combine this with other techniques including myofascial release.
- We can release chronic muscular tension, usually with a series of regular sessions to start with
- Acute muscle pain such as when you sleep funny
- Increase blood flow, and therefore health not only to your muscles and connective tissues but also your organs, therefore improving health
- Firm pressure massage will reduce blood pressure
- Sports injury massage treatment and repetitive strain injuries such as tennis elbow or carpal tunnel and cold fingertips
- If you have a long-standing injury such as whiplash, deep tissue massage will often reduce this pain and enhance your performance. It’s a great complement to traditional medical treatment. Likewise, for postural deformities such as scoliosis.
NB It’s important to drink plenty of water after any of the types of massage
How does massage use strokes to heal an injury?
OK, so let’s be clear. it’s your body that is healing the injury. We’re just the facilitator. By boosting circulation in your body, by you taking our advice to drink plenty of water, and by using the pressure to break down muscle areas where your motion is restricted, we’re able to give your body the tools it needs to fix.
The strokes we use in a deep massage tissue focussed technique are often slow. This is so that the muscle has the time to react positively to the pressure that we’re imposing on it.
Fun Fact
Did you know that in order to release tension effectively, when you stretch it should be for between at least 3 to 5 minutes?
When you work too fast, the muscle doesn’t have time to adapt. Think about how long the issue has been in place until you came for a remedial massage therapy. We won’t release tension in the area with a glancing pressure.
Swedish massage uses lighter strokes and is more superficial. It doesn’t heal muscles as much as relax the body and ease tension away by stimulating your parasympathetic nervous system.
How can I add to the benefits of deep tissue massage?
By adding iPRF into the affected muscles, research shows that the effects of deep tissue massage are further enhanced.
Scientific research has demonstrated the potential synergy between iPRF (injectable platelet-rich fibrin) or PRP (platelet-rich plasma) treatments and deep tissue massage in enhancing therapeutic outcomes. A study published in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology found that combining PRP with deep tissue massage in musculoskeletal injuries can promote tissue repair and reduce inflammation more effectively than massage alone.
The growth factors and cytokines present in PRP or iPRF can accelerate the healing process by stimulating collagen production and tissue regeneration, while the deep tissue massage aids in improving blood circulation and easing muscle tension. This combination approach offers a holistic and scientifically supported method to expedite recovery and improve the overall effectiveness of deep tissue massage therapy. Include this enhancement in your massage experience at a substantially reduced rate when scheduled simultaneously. Text us on 07941 668456 to book.
What are the after effects of deep tissue massage?
Deep massage tissue focussed techniques are there to relax your body, which means work. And pressure. This means that during the massage you may feel some temporary discomfort, and after, you may feel bruised. But, massage helps your muscle tissue to break down and rebuild, so the pain you were feeling will reduce. This is the same whether we work your glutes and hamstrings, or we’re looking to ease muscle tissue in your wrist and forearm.
But another of the after effects is that people’s heart rate will slow, you’ll feel more relaxed and your entire body will be more nourished with the goodness that oxygen pumps around. This is because your heart isn’t having to work so hard to battle the road blocks that tight muscles cause in the network of veins blood uses to flow around your system.
What’s the difference between knots and tense muscles?
Very often, an emotional issue, such as stress can lead to a range of physical problems. This could be a sore neck for instance, or you may be more tightly coiled and so more susceptible to injuries by just moving wrong during a simple activity.
When we’re looking at your recovery, we don’t focus on whether it is a knot or a tight muscle, because essentially they are the same issue. Muscles become tight and as we’ve discussed above, their fibres stick together. This can clump and lead to the conditions we regularly know as knots. But relief can come as relaxation of those muscles. This could be a deep tissue massage session — this is an effective manner to treat soreness.
But, if your emotional hurt may be the root cause of your muscle inflammation, associated buildup of toxins and lack of movement restricting pliability of your fascia, then exercise and other forms of relaxation will contribute to your faster healing.
So when people ask us if they need a deep tissue massage, we will always say it is the most effective physical form of breaking down painful muscles because it involves strong work to directly break down adhesions and stiffness, and by default knots.
But if you cannot face a deep massage focusing on relaxing tissue, then book in for something with more of a light touch that will attack your condition and thus rehabilitation from a relaxing angle. We can still use kneading with our knuckles and forearms to manipulate tightness during these massages, and they’re still therapeutic as we discussed. They promote blood flow and healing etc but we won’t be getting deeply in your shoulder trigger points (rhomboids) with our elbows during this type of appointment.
Can I have a deep tissue massage when I’m pregnant?
You can. We are trained in pregnancy massage and have written a full page on it which you should check out. There are certain areas and techniques that we can and can’t work during pregnancy, but we can still give you an improved standard of living and get rid of your sciatica, lower back aches etc whilst also improving your wellbeing.
Where is your clinic based?
Our practice is in Gidea Park, Romford, Essex. Just off the junction where the A127 & A12 roads meet. Our times are not classic, we work on an appointment basis by availability so you could get booked in at 7am if you choose. The last appointment is always 9pm for a 10pm finish. And we take bookings every day of the week.
Is there a consultation?
When you book, we’ll send you an online form to complete before your appointment. This includes some details of your medical history and we ask that you send this through to us as soon as possible after booking.
Are there any conditions which mean I can’t have a deep tissue massage?
For sure, for instance if you’ve just had surgery, have venous conditions such as thromboembolism and also if you have osteoporosis depending on the severity, we need to think about whether we should put a lot of pressure on your bones. The idea is we want you to stay healthy. But we’ll pick this up on your consultation and we can advise on a best alternative that will still give you significant results with limited risk.
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