What Is a Deep Tissue Massage?
Deep tissue massage is a treatment that is applied only to
align deeper layers of connective tissue and muscle. Swedish massage requires
light pressure to relax but sustained pressure with slow deep strokes requires
pressure deeper in deep tissue massage in order to reach sublayers of fascia,
muscle, and tendons.
The greatest difference between deep tissue massage vs Swedish massage is pressure and intention. Deep tissue therapists use selective strokes to release long-standing tension in muscles, adhesions (or "knots"), and scar tissue that cause shutdown of circulation and pain.
The practitioner uses fingers, knuckles, elbows, and
forearms to thrust and scatter literally adhesions and reintroduce normal
motion and prevent pain by aligning muscle fibers.
Key Benefits of Deep Tissue Massage
The deep tissue massage benefits extend far, far into the distance:
- Relief and Pain Relief: Deep tissue massage for back pain
has been largely beneficial by the relaxation of contracted muscle groups and
increased flexibility.
- Enhanced Muscle Recovery: Deep tissue massage for muscle
recovery is commonly utilized by athletes in an attempt to recover from muscle.
The massage serves to boost blood and oxygenation in the affected area in a
manner where the metabolic waste products like lactic acid, that hurts is
removed.
- Corrected Posture: Scar tissue and persistent muscle tension
release and enhance posture as a result of frequent use or extended sitting
hours.
- Stress Relief: Deep tissue massage for stress relief reduces
cortisol, increases oxytocin and serotonin, leading to relaxation and euphoria.
- Healing Injuries: The therapy heals sports injury and
repetitive strain injury by reducing inflammation and accelerating healing.
- Increased Flexibility: Therapies increase flexibility by muscle stretching and increasing range of motion.
Conditions That Deep Tissue Massage Can Help With
Deep tissue massage is a very effective treatment for most conditions such as:
- Long-standing lower back pain
- Reduced mobility
- Sciatica
- Fibromyalgia
- Sports trauma
- Osteoarthritis
- Tension headache
- Repetitive strain injuries such as tennis elbow or carpal tunnel syndrome
What to Expect During a Deep Tissue Massage Session
Your first session will typically be preceded by an assessment of your medical history, symptoms, and treatment requirements. Sessions last 60 to 90 minutes.
Deep tissue pressure points are firm areas of the body like the upper and lower back, glutes, shoulders, and legs. Some of the deep tissue massage techniques employed by the therapist include stripping (pressure in the direction of the muscle fibers), friction (pressure in the direction of the muscle grain), and trigger point therapy.
Communication is key. Discomfort is acceptable, but never painful. Use a pain scale of 1-10, therapeutic discomfort level at 6-7. Anything greater than this will cause muscle guarding. A little soreness after your first massage when the muscles have had to adapt to the deep work, similar to soreness after exercise.
Aftercare and Recovery Tips
Maximum returns with minimum discomfort are the result of optimal deep tissue massage aftercare:
- Hydrate with Volumes: Drink large volumes of water within
24-48 hours from the time of the massage for the removal of body metabolic
waste.
- Heat or Ice: Use an ice pack to decrease swelling within the
first 24 hours. Several heat applications enhance healing.
- Rest and Recovery: Rest and refrain from heavy exercise
after the treatment session.
- Soft Stretching: Soft stretching increases flexibility.
- Epsom Salt Baths: Epsom salts in warm bath might relax tension in muscles.
Who Should Avoid Deep Tissue Massage?
Despite all that is positive in it, there are some people
who need to be cautious. Knowledge of the deep tissue massage risks guards one.
Avoid deep tissue massage in case of:
- Blood clotting disease
- Recent surgery or injury in the past month
- Open wound or cutaneous infection
- Severe osteoporosis
- Chosen cancers
- Pregnancy complications
In all these cases, take advice from a doctor first before
undergoing massage therapy.
Deep tissue massage side effects would be transient pain, in
some sensitive individuals bruising, and tiredness, all of which will persist
24-48 hours.
How Often Should You Get a Deep Tissue Massage?
For as far as how often should you get a deep tissue massage is concerned, it will all depend on your case, objective, and finances.
- For chronic pain or injury maintenance, best build-up of
therapeutic effects is every other week for 4-6 weeks. On remission of
symptoms, switching to monthly or every other week on maintenance will be
employed in an effort to sustain gains.
- Deep tissue massage for athletes would normally be booked by
training blocks. During heavy training weeks, weekly will suffice for recovery
support, but in off-season maintenance work, one may well get by on fortnightly
treatments.
- For complete stress removal and preservation of good body
health, a month will suffice to reverse daily stress and prevent chronic
disease from arising.
Listen to your body and ask your therapist what is just
right. Consistency-session after session with an interlude in between so that
your healing has its effect more than sporadic hardcore sessions more than
frequency.
Conclusion
Deep tissue massage has tremendous healing potential for the amelioration of chronic pain, muscle tension, and stress disorders. Having gotten to know what deep tissue massage is, how it is accepted, and what you should be ready for in the treatment sessions, you are now set to begin with this treatment.
You may require deep tissue massage for your back issues,
sports therapy, or for overall good health, and professional advice from a
trained therapist guarantees maximum utilization with minimal hazard. Remember
that temporary pain during the treatment is normal, but negotiation with your
therapist makes up the treatment to be therapeutic, safe, and effective in
approach, tailored to your very own private requirements.
Please book an appointment with the Best Physiotherapist in Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, and all major cities of Pakistan through InstaCare, or call our helpline at 03171777509 to find a verified doctor for your disease.
