Stress has become such a common element of our lives. It affects us in profound ways. Our muscles are stiff, our minds are anxious, and we do not get enough sleep. You can address stress in many ways, and one of those ways is through massage. A good massage can leave you feeling more relaxed and like your stress has melted away. Massage is also good for your muscles and your physical form. It can enhance sports performance and ease the aches of arthritis. This blog explores massage more in-depth, allowing you to learn more about this helpful treatment modality.
Deep tissue massage therapy is a type of massage that targets the deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue. It's commonly used to treat chronic aches and pains, as well as injuries caused by repetitive motions or overuse.
But what exactly does this type of massage do to your body? Read on to learn more.
How Deep Tissue Therapy Works
Deep tissue massage aims to break up scar tissue and muscle "knots" that can disrupt circulation and cause pain and inflammation or a limited range of motion. Scar tissue refers to any tissue that forms after an injury, including surgical scarring. Muscle knots are typically areas of spasm and tension in the muscle.
To eliminate these issues, the therapist typically uses direct deep pressure or friction applied across the grain of the muscles to release the tension. The massage works by slowly applying pressure to the affected area, gradually releasing the muscle spasms.
During a session, techniques such as rolling, kneading, stretching, and percussion work layers of muscle and fascia (the connective tissue surrounding the muscles). This helps improve blood flow, reduce swelling, and give relief from pain.
Deep Tissue Massage and Pain Relief
Deep tissue massages provide many benefits for those suffering from chronic pain or injury-related issues. The most obvious one is relief from pain caused by muscle tightness.
However, there are other benefits as well. Regular deep tissue massages can improve flexibility, increase joint mobility, reduce inflammation, and even help with stress relief.
In addition to these physical benefits, regular deep-tissue massages have been known to help with mental health issues such as anxiety and depression by reducing cortisol levels (the stress hormone) in the body.
Injury Prevention & Healing
In addition to providing relief from chronic pain and helping with mental health issues, regular deep-tissue massages can also be used for injury prevention and healing. By loosening up tight muscles before exercise or activity-related events (such as running a marathon), you can prevent them from becoming strained or injured during said activity.
Additionally, if you do happen to get injured while exercising or playing sports, regular deep-tissue massages can help speed up your recovery time by promoting better circulation in the affected areas and reducing muscle spasms that may be present due to trauma or injury.
When used regularly along with other treatments such as stretching exercises or physical therapy, deep tissue massage therapy can be a powerful tool for managing chronic pain conditions like arthritis, fibromyalgia, or lower back pain. So if you're looking for some lasting relief from your aches and pains, consider giving deep tissue massage therapy a try.