The area of massage therapy I enjoy most is when clients contact me to express that feel better after receiving treatments.  It makes me feel good to know that something I did helped alleviate a pain or issue that may have been getting in the way of everyday life.  I believe this aspect is the reason I have gravitated toward more deep tissue work in my practice.

What exactly is deep tissue work?

Deep tissue massage works by physically breaking down adhesions to relieve pain and restore normal movement.  The pressure aids in releasing chronic muscle tension. To do this, the massage therapist uses massage lotion and often uses direct deep pressure.  During a session, I will use classic massage therapy strokes yet focusing on reacher deeper concentrated muscles in the body.

What are muscle adhesions?  Adhesions occur when the muscle is chronically contracted.  Adhesions can be the result of injury, overuse, and dehydration.  Adhesions can block circulation causing inflammation and/or pain in the area.  In order for the therapist to move deeper in the muscle needs to become relaxed.  This is one of the reasons many of my clients come to me more frequently in the beginning of their treatment.  Once we get to a state where the muscles become relaxed deeper areas of the muscle can be treated.

Clients may experience soreness after a session, specifically early on in the process.  I am always upfront about this and explain that typically clients feel better a couple days afterward.  As our relationship builds, clients learn to communicate their needs and understand areas that need more attention than others when they come to a session.  As a massage therapist, it is critical that I hear and clarify their needs to ensure they are receiving the best massage therapy session.

To minimize soreness after a massage therapy session, I recommend drinking water and taking a warm bath with Epson salts.

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