Deep tissue massage1 is a well-liked type of massage therapy, frequently used to alleviate persistent aches and pains.
Massages are incredible and help in mental health growth. What’s not to love about aromatherapy, warm lotion, and wistful harp music?
Many often think of a regular massage as a soothing body rub that includes soothing music and enticing aromas.
But what happens when a little massage for relaxation is insufficient? Occasionally it would be best if you delved a little deeper.
Here is all the information you require regarding deep tissue massage benefits.
But before diving into deep tissue massage benefits, first, you have to know about deep tissue massage. Once you get an idea about this then it will be easy for you to understand deep tissue massage benefits.
What Is a Deep Tissue Massage?
Deep tissue massage is a well-liked type of massage therapy, frequently used to alleviate persistent aches and pains.
Your body can recover from an injury more quickly by lowering inflammation and increasing blood flow with deep tissue massage.
Deep tissue work doesn’t always have to be terribly harsh to be beneficial. Amazingly, it can also dissolve scar tissue and provides pain relief.
The fascia, the connective tissue that surrounds your muscles, and the sublayer of your muscles are targeted by this treatment by applying either moderate pressure, intense pressure, lighter pressure, or deep pressure upon them.
Your massage therapist will employ methods to relieve extremely aching muscles during a deep-tissue massage. The techniques they employ will be comparable to those used in other types of massage, but they will move more slowly and provide deeper pressure.
Your massage therapist will target particular sore and tense spots.
They can release knots in the sublayer of muscles and fascia by using more pressure. Fascia can be compared to a net that binds your muscles together. Ever prepared a chicken breast? The thin, transparent layer that covers the meat is called fascia.
A deep tissue treatment may contain those components, but it’s not always soothing, according to Amy Montia, Ph.D., LMT, a medical massage therapist at Physio Logic.
According to Montia, the purpose of a deep tissue massage is to support muscle and fascial adhesions, knots in the joints, and restrictions in the joints.
For those who have a low pain threshold, a deep tissue massage is a suitable option.
Learn what to expect from a deep tissue massage and its advantages and differences from Swedish massage.
Deep Tissue Massage Benefits
Several deep tissue massage benefits 2can assist you in returning to living a more healthy lifestyle, whether you’re a player healing from an accident with muscle tension, an entrepreneur with chronic pain in the back, or an overburdened parent. You can see deep tissue massage benefits in many ways.
Here are some major deep tissue massage benefits that you have to check out.
1. Reduces Persistent Back Pain
According to a study in India, chronic pain in the back has affected 57% of people over their lifetime.
According to research, the benefits of deep-tissue massages may be effective in treating back pain, particularly chronic lower back pain and sports injuries. Sports injuries might be accompanied by a heating pad or a cold pack, reducing inflammation.
Additionally, several studies have made similar discoveries, suggesting that deep tissue massages alone may be more effective at reducing chronic symptoms than other types of massage when accompanied by NSAID therapy.
Thirty-one males with the arthritic condition of ankylosing spondylitis participated in a 2017 study to examine the effects of deep tissue massage.
The participants were separated into two groups to undergo therapeutic massage using deep tissue massages or massage therapy without deep tissue massage.
Over the course of two weeks, each participant received ten 30-minute massages.
In comparison to therapeutic massage, deep tissue massage considerably reduced pain, according to the study.
2. Reduces Pain, The Signs of Muscle Tension, and Anxiety
Until a severe pain emanates and you have muscle fatigue, or you awaken stiff and sore, you frequently don’t give your muscles much thought.
But because they are live, active tissues, your muscles require regular attention if you want to stay healthy and have stress relief in general.
It helps muscles recover when the therapist goes into the deepest layers of the muscular structure to mend and recover this living part of your body when you face muscle soreness which is generally affected by physical or mental tension and stress.
The benefits of the deep tissue massage technique involve applying lighter massages on the inner layers of your muscles and connective tissues with long, gentle strokes. This assists in reducing muscle pain and breaking up scar tissue that develops after sports-related injuries.
Deep tissue massage enhances the health of your muscles and tissues and your overall health by lowering blood flow and improving lung function. How can you get the most of your deep tissue massage? Observe these crucial pointers. Hydrate! Drink plenty of water before your massage to keep your muscle tissue hydrated and make them easier to massage.
3. Controls High Blood Pressure
The amount of blood flow through your body and the degree of resistance the blood encounters when the heart pumps are both taken into account when calculating your blood pressure.
When your blood’s power pushes through your veins regularly too high, you will have a boosted blood flow, also known as hypertension.
There are many benefits of deep tissue massage for adults as they exhibit signs of high blood pressure, claims one study. It also has related psychological benefits.
The individuals had mild to severe muscle spasms or strains before the therapy, which continued for 45 to 60 minutes. The following was observed:
- Drop in the typical systolic pressure
- Decrease in blood pressure
- Drop in the mean arterial pressure
- Drop in heart rate on average
4. Reduces Discomfort During Pregnancy and Labour
Studies show that deep tissue massages can assist pregnant women in managing labor symptoms.
Women who receive deep tissue massage treatment during pregnancy report lower levels of anxiety, depression, and physical aches (back and leg discomfort).
According to one study, women who received lighter touch massages before and during labor had shorter labors to alleviate pain, required fewer drugs, and had lactate clearance.
In another case study from 2016, a 28-year-old pregnant woman complained of chronic back pain and tense muscles and wanted faster healing.
The woman reported less lower back pain following 12 sessions of twice-weekly, 30-minute deep tissue massage. Serotonin is increased by massage and can help with back and leg discomfort.
5. Deep Tissue Massages Reduce the Fibromyalgia Symptoms
Fibromyalgia is characterized by significant musculoskeletal pain and difficulties affecting sleep, memory, and mood.
Your brain and spinal cord receive both painful and nonpainful impulses differently due to fibromyalgia, which amplifies painful feelings.
Chronic illnesses, fibromyalgia and plantar fasciitis, are characterized by various symptoms, including all-over body pain, discomfort and reduced immune function. However, studies have only found short-term effects of this therapy, providing alleviation for those with fibromyalgia.
Even so, more research is still required for a longer duration.
Deep tissue massage therapy involves applying sustained pressure with an accurate technique to help reduce pain and other symptoms. Your physical therapist can assist in reducing your discomfort by using concentrated pressure.
6. Alleviates Arthritis Symptoms Through Massage Therapy
The inflammation and pain within one or more joints are symptoms of arthritis. Morning stiffness and discomfort are the primary signs of arthritis; these symptoms often worsen with age.
Deep tissue massage therapy is frequently used to treat arthritis pain, anxiety, restlessness, persistent joint pain, restricted movement range and rigidity.
Intense massages can be utilized frequently and given by therapists or patients themselves for all-natural relief. Compared to mild therapies, deep stroke therapy often reduce the discomfort associated with arthritis by using firm pressure.
Are Swedish Massage and Deep Tissue Massages Similar?
According to experts, there are similarities between Swedish and deep tissue massage therapy, but the main distinctions are the amount of pressure used and perceived intensity.
Swedish therapy focuses more on enhancing blood movement through the muscles and fascia. Muscle knots and deep fascia are the focus of deep tissue treatments3. A deep massage can be beneficial if you have stiffness [or] pain from a muscle strain or an old injury. According to Montia, it relieves general tension brought on by poor posture or a stressful work environment.
How To Find A Suitable Massage Therapist?
You might wish to take into account the following while looking for a good massage therapist:
- Request a reliable database or a medical professional requesting a recommendation or referral for a massage therapist’s experience, education, and credentials.
- Make sure the therapist is prepared to collaborate with other medical specialists, especially when a patient receives treatment for a medical problem.
- Ensuring the therapist is aware of any health issues or concerns clients may have and confirming their expertise in attending to those particular demands.
- Determining whether the type of massage is covered by health insurance and whether any limitations apply.
A massage is much more than a luxuriant experience or luxurious self-pampering because of its advantages for the mind and physique. It would be best if you went as frequently as you can afford to since even a session once every few months with a pro is absolutely rewarding.
Now you know about the deep tissue massage benefits. So, try out this massage therapy to get deep tissue massage benefits.
- Koren, Yogev, and Leonid Kalichman. “Deep tissue massage: What are we talking about?.” Journal of Bodywork and movement therapies 22.2 (2018): 247-251. ↩︎
- Kaye, Alan David, et al. “The effect of deep-tissue massage therapy on blood pressure and heart rate.” The Journal of alternative and complementary medicine 14.2 (2008): 125-128. ↩︎
- Yang, Fan, et al. “Multifunctional self-assembled supernanoparticles for deep-tissue bimodal imaging and amplified dual-mode heating treatment.” ACS nano 13.1 (2019): 408-420. ↩︎
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