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 chronic aches and pains and contracted areas such as stiff neck and upper back, low back pain, leg muscle tightness, and sore shoulders. In our clinic nearly every lower back pain patient gets the deep tissue massage session at some stage of the treatment course. The reason is that we love our patients, and while working on correcting the postural distortion or injury that caused the back pain in the first place, we also want to give the person some quick relief, so he/she can relax and get a good night sleep for the better recovery.
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 in order to reach the sub-layer of muscles and the fascia (the connective tissue surrounding muscles). Often times this deep pressure causes a mild ‘bitter-sweet’ pain (or ‘good pain’ as some patients call it), which is the sure indicator that the deepest layers of soft tissues are being reached and the pain and stiffness relief is coming.
Deep tissue massage releases chronic patterns of tension in the body through slow strokes and deep finger pressure on the contracted areas, either following or going across the grain of muscles, tendons and fascia. It’s called “deep tissue” because it focuses on the deeper layers of muscle tissue, so be prepared for some deeper strokes and moderate discomfort – it is for your own good. Deep tissue massage will noticeably loosen muscles, alleviate pain, and increase mobility. Lower back, neck, elbow or hip – the benefits of the deep tissue massage will go a long way.