Deep Tissue Massage
As the name suggests, a deep tissue massage accesses deep muscles further beneath the surface of the skin. A deep tissue massage would typically contain some of the Swedish techniques to warm up the area first before moving on to the deeper work. It may include the use of palms, loose fists, forearms and elbows. It may be a little painful at times but can also provide much relief from muscle strain and tension.
Communication is all-important as the work should be deep enough to be meaningful, but never excruciating. Finding the right balance involves speaking with the client during the treatment and also a lot of sensitivity to the feedback from the body.
My deep tissue treatments incorporate myofascial release techniques to stretch out the fascia which wraps around and connects tissue throughout the body. These are deep, slow palm strokes with little or no oil and are great for warming up the tissue, stretching it out and creating space. I also use trigger point therapy to work out tight bands of fibrous tissue (knots) by applying pressure directly to the area and using compression and friction to melt them away. Trigger points develop in similar places for lots of people and often defer pain to a different place e.g. a headache at the front of the head may be treatable by applying pressure at the back of neck; shoulder pain can often be treated by treating trigger points next to the spine.