What Is A Deep Tissue Massage?<\/h2>\n\n
Deep tissue massage is a massage technique that\u2019s commonly used to treat musculoskeletal problems, this could include both strains and injuries. It involves applying sustained pressure using slow, deep strokes to target the inner layers of your muscles and connective tissues. This can help break up scar tissue that forms from injuries and reduce tension in muscles and tissues.<\/p>\n\n
It may also promote faster healing by increasing blood flow and reducing inflammation.<\/p>\n\n
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What Does A Deep Tissue Massage Feel Like?<\/h2>\n\n
For any of you who are experiencing pain, soreness, or tight muscles, a deep tissue massage can feel great as it can provide relief from what you’re feeling.<\/p>\n\n
It’s important to know that it isn’t unusual to feel a degree of discomfort during the massage itself. The whole point of this treatment is to break up muscle tension, adhesions, and scar tissue that often lie in deeper musculature, so your therapist will likely apply a lot of pressure. However, you should let them know if this becomes too uncomfortable. Expect to be asked to breathe deeply when the person treating you is working on especially tense or deep areas of your muscles.<\/p>\n\n
Deep Tissue Massage Benefits And Studies<\/h2>\n\n
Deep tissue massage offers both physical and psychological benefits. Unlike other massage techniques focusing on relaxation, deep tissue massage helps treat muscle pain and improve stiffness. But it can still help you unwind mentally, too.<\/p>\n\n
A\u00a0 2014 study<\/a> involving 59 participants found that deep tissue massage helped to reduce discomfort in people with chronic lower back pain. The authors likened its effects to those of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen (Advil).<\/p>\n\n
People have also reported that deep tissue massage helps with:<\/p>\n\n
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sports injuries<\/li>\n
fibromyalgia<\/a><\/li>\n
plantar fasciitis<\/li>\n
high blood pressure<\/li>\n
sciatica<\/a><\/li>\n
tennis elbow<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
A deep tissue massage may improve circulation, reduce minor aches and pain, increase range of motion, and ease inflammation. One study by the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine<\/a> showed that deep tissue massage helped to lower blood pressure after just one massage session.<\/p>\n\n
One of the most common deep tissue massage therapy benefits is pain reduction. According to a\u00a0 2014 study<\/a>\u00a0in\u00a0PLOS One,<\/em> individuals with this condition sometimes experience \u201cbeneficial immediate effects\u201d regarding their levels of pain, oftentimes within just five weeks of massage therapy.<\/p>\n\n
This specific massage can also help with injuries, including damage to muscles, ligaments, or tendons. Scar tissue forms when an area of the body is injured and then heals. While you can have scars on the outside, you can also have them deep inside your body.\u00a0Deep tissue massage can target this type of scarring and make it easier to move, promoting a greater range of motion.<\/p>\n\n
Just a few years ago, there was a\u00a0study<\/u><\/a>\u00a0published in\u00a0Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine<\/em>. This study looked at 27 men who had been diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, or AS.<\/p>\n\n
The\u00a0Spondylitis Association of America<\/u><\/a>\u00a0explains that AS is a condition characterized by inflammation in the spine, which can eventually lead to a new bone formation in which certain sections of the spine \u201cfuse in a fixed, immobile position.\u201d<\/p>\n
For those group members who underwent deep tissue massage, they ended up showing a significantly greater reduction in the severity of their AS when compared to those receiving traditional massage. They also showed a greater reduction in pain.<\/p>\n\n
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