At the dawn of my physiotherapist training, I often encountered the expression ‘deep tissue massage’, but could not interpret it properly. In time, as I improved my skills and gained more experience, the mist was cleared as to how to explain it. In my opinion, the expression is often used for advertising purposes, because it sounds cool – it’s difficult to unfold its truth and you can sell it at a high price. There are many contradictions even among physiotherapists when it comes to definitions, different methods, the applied strength and protocols. A comparative article came my way and now I share it with you to clear the mist so that everyone can choose the proper form massage consciously.
Massages used as a treatment date back to ancient times. Cultures all around the world have been using massages thousands of years ago already to facilitate relaxation, increase performance and provide comfort and acceptance close to death. It was also used to ease pain. When it comes to massages, everybody perceives them differently. It comes as no surprise, as there are numerous form of massages out there. The Australian Association of Massage Therapists speaks of 60 different techniques, and with that in mind, they came up with the following general definition: ‘Massage is a form of manual soft tissue manipulation which facilitates healing, reduces stress, helps muscle relaxation, stimulates circulation and provides a sense of comfort.’ Deep tissue massage is part of this general idea, so it is not a separate method, but part of every treatment, when deemed necessary.
Certain physiotherapists believe that deep tissue massage is like a Swedish massage, only applied with increased force. I am convinced that many people who are unfamiliar with the world of massages and come across the expression in bath houses for the first time, must share the same belief. I believe there is more to the subject than what meets the eye. The method is aimed at deep tissues, but it is not about just the application of greater force.
Massages evolve as time passes by, and it holds true for this type as well. With that in mind, you may understand now that this method can blend into other techniques (e.g. myofascial release and trigger point therapy) beautifully. Some interpret acupressure and myofascial release as deep tissue massage.
What is this technique is all about then? The following description may clarify it a bit: ‘Deep tissue massage, true to its name, concentrates on deep muscular tissues. It was designed to reach the deep and tightly woven sections of muscles, especially the individual fibres of muscles.’ However, I believe that the following approach is even better at explaining it in details: ‘In order to understand the different levels within the body and be able to work with these layers of fibres, we must relax, stretch and relieve the existing patters in the most effective and energy-efficient way possible and stay within the comfort zone of the client in the process.’
It is important to note that this is not a comforting massage, so you may experience pain of certain sorts. This second approach better describes the concept of the method, but we’d better differentiate between two definitions.
One of them is deep massage which is supposed to convey the will of the therapist to reach deep tissues. This might be part of any massage, where the therapist wishes to reach deeper tissues (no matter of the principle or applied technique of the given massage therapist).
On the other hand, deep tissue massage should refer to a specific and autonomic method within massage therapy. I picked out a few things which are typical of this technique and which you can observe yourself while undergoing a massage:
All in all, we can say that ‘deep tissue techniques are based on comprehensive massage principles and they should be applied in context’.
All of this makes it easier to understand the method. There are many studies which focus on its potential consequences on our everyday life. I’m listing the most important results:
- Heart rate and pulse get more balanced
- It restores healthy movement range and reduces pain
- It helps restore the resiliency of fibres, hence reducing the risk of injury
- It can reduce pain
I hope I managed to clear the mist about deep tissue massage. In the light of the above-mentioned ideas, you can all decide which technique suits you best. If you still have questions, I recommend you try it!
Source: Deep tissue massage: What are we talking about? /Yogev Koren, BPT, Leonid Kalichman, PT, PhD
Department of Physical Therapy, Recanati School for Community Health Professions, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer
Sheva, Israel/
