As mentioned, most therapists know several different modalities, or styles, of massage. One of the more popular is the Deep Tissue – and one that we’re particularly good with at our Fuquay-Varina therapy location. Deep tissue therapy will provide relief for a number of aches and pains, but works particularly well for more chronic issues caused by poor posture, injuries or the like. This is NOT a “feel good” relaxation. Your therapist will be doing some heavy and strong work on the deeper muscle levels of your body. This can leave you sore for a day or two but afterwards, you will be feeling the REAL benefit of the deep tissue . While Deep Tissue can leave you with some residual soreness, the positive effects tend to last for weeks instead of just hours. Often we hear clients say, “it hurts good” or “that is tender, but I can tell you are really helping my muscles release.”
Deep Tissue Massage
More About Deep Tissue Massaging
What really happens with a deep tissue is that by stretching the muscles, we will be bringing much needed oxygen to the muscle tissues. Through a combination of friction and pressure, the deep tissue therapy is designed to relieve tension and relax muscle adhesions and minimize scar tissue damage issues with your muscles.
Deep Tissue Techniques (YouTube)
What is a “muscle adhesion”?
Think about the last time you got a cut on your body somewhere. If you had it sewn up properly, or if it wasn’t that bad a cut, your skin looks like nothing ever happened there after it has healed. That’s the best case scenario. What if things DIDN’T go so well? You end up with a raised ridge of skin that we normally refer to as a scar. The body has produced cell growth to cover over the wound to protect it and prevent further damage.
Your muscles do the same thing. If you overwork, tear or otherwise damage a muscle, your body will take steps to repair the muscle. It works the same way it does on your skin. Cell growth occurs and can sometimes cause individual muscle fibers to adhere to each other – thus causing annoying stiffness and pain. More damage, scar tissue, and adhesions turn into more pain when you actually try to use those muscles.
Knowledgeable and skilled therapists – Van Deusen Health & Wellness Therapy comes to mind. We can work on those muscles and gently, but firmly, stretch them out. This will slowly get those adhesions to loosen up. Some may never be completely worked out depending on the severity of the scar tissue, but by loosening up the area, you will feel less pain in those areas. A best case scenario is that the muscle fibers eventually will separate and then they will be free to slide over each other when they are used with no pain.
The Strategy Behind Deep Tissue
Deep tissue is working on the deeper muscle tissues of your body and having the ability to focus on them in a method that lengthens those muscles using your therapist’s knowledge and experience. Deep tissue therapy utilizes deep muscle pressure and friction down the grain of your muscle tissue. Deep tissue involves direct and targeted pressure to specific areas of each individual muscle.
With so many Fuquay-Varina massage therapy styles at Van Deusen Health and Wellness, learn more about all of them!
