Deep tissue massage uses slow, firm strokes and pressure to ease and release tension deep in your muscles.

What is deep tissue massage?

Deep tissue massage does what it says ‘on the tin’ – it is a massage technique that works on the deeper layers of muscle tissue.

Similar to Swedish massage, deep tissue massage uses slower and firmer strokes and pressure than other treatments – deep finger pressure that concentrates on particular areas, and follows or goes across the fibres of muscles and tendons.

Deep tissue massage is a blanket term that describes a number of different therapies, and is often used medically by physiotherapists, chiropractors and so on.

Deep tissue massage features in most forms of massage to some degree, including:

• Swedish massage
• Thai massage
• Sports/muscular massage
•  Lymphatic drainage

Deep tissue massage is a particularly effective massage for people with muscular pain.
Here are a few of the less mainstream forms of deep tissue treatments that you might not have come across.

Cupping

Nobly exhibited by Gwyneth Paltrow in a backless dress, this traditional Chinese medicine practice temporarily leaves raised, red cup-shaped ‘wheals’ on your skin. A heated cup is placed on your body and a vacuum is created which sucks up your skin. This suction drains excess fluids and toxins from the muscle tissue, and stimulates the nervous system, and brings blood flow to your muscles and skin. The immediate effects look a bit alarming (see Gwyneth) but it is a deeply relaxing treatment.

Cross-fibre friction

This specialised massage treatment is used to treat chronic muscular tension, working across the fibres of the muscles.

Trigger point therapy

This treatment puts pressure on certain trigger points, temporarily stopping blood flow to a particular part of the body, and then releasing it, flooding that body part with fresh blood. It sounds weird and it feels weird too; you realise how powerful your blood is when it surges back into your arteries and the limb feels suddenly warm and strong. This treatment kick-starts your circulation as it pours and pumps fresh oxygen around your body. This technique is also a feature of Thai massage.

Balinese and Indonesian massage

These include deep tissue massage which works on the myofascia (see below); the treatment combines a variety of massage techniques, reflexology, acupressure and aromatherapy and is highly effective in healing sports injuries.

Myofascial release

Fascia is a tough tissue that surrounds every muscle, bone, organ, nerve, and blood vessel in your body. Myofascial release is a stretching technique that releases tension and therefore pain deep in the body. It is used by physiotherapists to treat patients with some soft tissue problems. It is also called “connective tissue massage”.

What is a deep tissue massage good for?

Deep tissue massage helps to refresh and relax muscles, increasing the blood flow and therefore the oxygen flow around your body. This gets rid of toxins in very sore and strained muscles, which helps them to strengthen and heal.

Deep tissue massage is often used to treat people who are recovering from accidents, and for sports injuries as it increases blood circulation in muscles that are underused, relieves chronic muscle tension throughout the body, and can also break down scar tissue and “knots” deep in the muscles.