Deep Tissue Massage

Oh, that sounds painful - or oh, that sounds good.  It's all in your perception right?  If you don't need deep work; don't have any kinks and knots, no hitch in your gitty-up.  Than this article is not for you.

Those who do feel that limited range of motion.  A restriction and it feels good to rub it where it hurts.  Leaning into a door jam or bureau corner.  Ever tried lying on a tennis ball or baseball?  This article is for you.

Deep Tissue massage is exactly that.  It is a series of massage modalities intended to turn that hard knot back into healthy soft tissue.  Knots are adhesions of fascia and muscle fibers which have become stuck together.  When a muscle is stuck, it's contracted.  When a muscle is contracted, it's firing - therefore producing waste.  That knot just gets bigger and more painful because it's overloaded with lactic acid, the waste product of muscular contraction.  This is the beginning of the pain - spasm - pain cycle.

Massaging it rids it of this lactic acid like a sponge getting squeezed out.  First though, you can't just go and squeeze it - that would hurt.  You've got to warm it up.  Work the tendons (each end of the muscle) and get the circulation going, so that waste has someplace to go.

Massage Therapist's are trained in anatomy to understand the origins, insertions and actions of muscles.  Asking the client where it hurts, when it hurts, what makes it feel better and the quality of the pain all help to organize a treatment plan.  What we are not trained in is intuition.  That gift of knowing how much pressure is enough.  Every body is different, with different pain thresholds.  Your therapist must be checking in with you as to the depth of pressure, and reminding you to breathe and to let go.  I like to say "drop your bones".  If the bodywork is causing the client pain, and there is resistance in any part of the body, it will be counterproductive.  Communication is essential.  Establishing trust is the Massage Therapist's job.

I hope this article has increased your understanding of Deep Tissue Masssage.  If you have any comments regarding this article you can e-mail me at elliemassage@gmail.com.  Or schedule an appointment at 603 924-6624x4.

In Health,
Ellen Crowley, LMT