Deep Tissue Massage Therapy

Skilled deep tissue is about working with your body to reach deeper levels, not plowing through tissue no matter what. Sometimes it can be uncomfortable or intense, depending on your body's condition, but a good massage should not cause you a lot of pain. In fact, deep tissue expert Art Riggs wrote in a 2005 article in Massage & Bodywork that "painful work is usually ineffective because the muscles contract against the pain, instead of lengthening and relaxing."

According to Riggs, the key to effective deep massage is slow strokes that have a specific intention and purpose and that are done with the full attention of the massage therapist. Riggs discusses how the therapist should choose strategies and strokes that are driven with intention and function. He also states "The biggest cause of pain -- or harsh touch -- is attempting to make things happen, rather than letting things happen."

In his book, Deep Tissue Massage: A Visual Guide to Techniques, Riggs offers the following deep massage principles to massage therapists:

• Never strain.
• Use little oil.
• Work slowly.
• Use oblique pressure.
• Work tendinous insertion of muscles in addition to the belly of muscles.
• Have a clear intention of what you want to accomplish.
• Direct attention to the layer of the body at which you want to work.
• Let the body react and stabilize before moving on.
• Use proper body mechanics. Avoid using your thumbs.

Sources

Art Riggs, "Deep Tissue Massage Part 1- The Tools," Massage & Bodywork, February/March 2005. "Part 2 - Stroke Intention," Massage & Bodywork, April/May 2005. "Part 3 - Body Positioning," Massage & Bodywork, June/July 2005.



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