The Need for a Deep Tissue Massage Therapy

Sports massage therapy, also known as deep tissue massage, is an important form of medical massage therapy. It consists of applying pressure to connective tissue, muscles, tendons, and fascia under the skin. But the massaging here simultaneously takes care of pressing those muscles situated deep down also. This form of massage therapy is similar to Swedish massage. While it is quite beneficial to athletes, it is done on ordinary people as well. In this article we are focusing on this specific type of massage therapy.

What is involved in deep tissue massage therapy?

In this form of massage therapy the focus is on muscles, tendons, fascia, and connective tissue. Pressure is applied to these parts, especially to deeper muscles, with fingers. The massage therapist presses these body parts applying a lot of pressure with his fingertips using slow strokes. The therapist’s fingers often trace a pattern across the grains of the muscle fibers. Or the fingers may move in the same direction as the muscles, tendon or fascia.

How does the patient benefit by this type of massage therapy?

Sports massage therapy is done with the specific aim of releasing tension from muscle fibers. While most people are in need of this, sportsmen are more so. These muscles get contracted by continuing activity in these parts of the body. By applying friction with fingertips, the tension and constriction gets released.

The benefits of massage therapy of the deep tissue are:

*Help in relieving the pain
*Help in healing
*Help in body realignment
*Elimination of scar tissue
*Relieving of tension
* Relaxation of muscles
*Removal of body toxins
* Help in blood circulation
* Increase in oxygen flow

The way pressure is applied in this form of massage therapy, the effect goes down to the deeper layers of the tissue. The massage therapist applies pressure with the following body parts:

* Forearms
* Hands
* Knuckles
* Elbows
* Fingertips
* Thumbs
* Fists

In sports massage therapy there is often the use of massage oil, or any type of lotion or cream. This is a very healing form of massage therapy. Of course, some sort of soreness of muscles might be there, especially if the deep tissue massage is being done in response to some muscle injury or muscle tiredness due to continued muscle exertion. But eventually, especially after a couple of days, a patient will feel very much energetic.

A deep tissue massage therapy helps in the following ways:

* By easing tension
* By removing headaches
* By reducing neck pain
* By giving general pain relief
* By removing trigger points of pain
* By relieving back pain
* By healing a sports injury
* By healing soft tissue damage
* By lessening the pain of tennis elbow
* By reducing problems of golfers elbow

There are also many other helps in healing.

Since this is a therapeutic form of massage therapy, there could be some ache or discomfort when much pressure is applied on certain muscles. But the massage therapist does not go for the deeper muscles directly. He warms the softer tissue first and then probes deeper. In deep tissue massage therapy, the patient should also preferably learn from the massage therapist, the type of focus that these muscles require. Then he can do some strengthening exercises at home to aid and streamline better the deep tissue massage therapy regimen.