Sunday, October 21, 2012

Massage 101: Deep Tissue Massage

Originally posted March 14, 2012

Today Constance answers our most frequently asked massage question: What is the difference between Swedish and deep tissue massages?

In our experience, many clients schedule a deep tissue because they like a lot of pressure, but it's not always necessary to do so. The pressure used in these services is a matter of your personal preference. You can have a very firm Swedish or a lighter deep tissue. These treatments are also not differentiated by technique, as many therapists use the same types of strokes in both. What really sets them apart is the goal of the session and how the strokes are applied.

Swedish massage is great for general relaxation, stress relief, and increasing circulation to flush out metabolic waste and bring fresh, nourishing fluids into your muscles and connective tissues. This is usually accomplished with long, soothing strokes.

A deep tissue massage is used to work out your problem areas. If you're experiencing persistent tension or pain, restricted movement, or you're feeling the effects of altered posture, chronic pain, injury or illness, then deep tissue is for you. Your therapist will slowly work through the layers of muscles to get to the source of your aches & pains. They may employ shorter strokes, use their thumbs and elbows, and approach the area from different angles. This helps them release restrictions in your connective tissues, knots, and scar tissue.

There are a couple of important things to keep in mind regarding these therapies. The first is that deep tissue work is slower than Swedish in order to be effective. This may mean that we are unable to provide a full-body massage in the time allowed. If you would like a full-body treatment or if you have multiple trouble spots, we recommend booking a longer session and communicating this to your therapist.

The second thing to remember is this is your personal fully customized massage. There are no cookie cutter treatments at Spa Soak. If our style or pressure isn't working for you, please tell us! We want that feedback. It's your input that ensures you get the right massage for your body, and turns a good session into a great session.

1 comment:



  1. Injury Rehabilitation Michael’s Natural Therapies has been successfully treating it’s clients since 2005, assisting in everything from injury recovery for athletes to providing relaxing massages to those that simply wish to indulge themselves.

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