Deep Tissue Massage: Why No Pain, No Gain Isn’t The Best Motto
As a massage therapist, I get calls all the time about deep tissue massage. Can deep tissue massage help with a certain ailment? Can deep tissue massage benefit a certain client? Is deep tissue massage painful?
So I thought I would address the many questions I get asked with a newsletter explaining my thoughts on deep tissue massage. First of all, I want to define what deep tissue massage is. According to verywell.com, this is what deep tissue massage is:
Deep tissue massage is a type of massage therapy that focuses on realigning deeper layers of muscles. It is used for chronic aches and pain and contracted areas such as a stiff neck and upper back, low back pain, leg muscle tightness, and sore shoulders. Some of the strokes are the same as those used in classic massage therapy, but the movement is slower and the pressure is deeper and concentrated on areas of tension and pain in order to reach the sub-layer of muscles and the fascia (the connective tissue surrounding muscles).
However, what I want to point out is that deep tissue massage is very subjective. Meaning…what I think or know deep tissue massage is will be totally different than what you or any other person believes or thinks it is. Also, because each and every body is different, it also feels very different for each person.
When we are talking about deep tissue, many people cringe at the thought of deep work because they don’t want their massage to hurt. Deep tissue massage isn’t always the best choice especially when it comes to the old adage…”No Pain, No Gain”! When I hear NO PAIN, NO GAIN, I think about people pushing themselves past the point that is good and safe for them and their body. If it doesn’t hurt, then it’s not doing any good, right?
When it comes to the No Pain, No Gain motto and massage that usually means that, as your therapist, I’m pushing past limits and boundaries that your body has in place. In other words, I am working real hard to ‘muscle’ my way into convincing your muscles to let go and loosen up. The issue becomes a battle which isn’t good for either one of us. By working this way, you will get really sore after your massage and will be for days. Also, most likely you will still have the same issue that you wanted help with in the first place before the deep tissue massage.
The interesting thing about your body is that is has its’ own guarding mechanisms in place to keep you from injuring yourself. However, as we all know and have most likely experienced, we can still get hurt or suffer from a traumatic injury. When it comes to having a deep tissue massage, the guarding mechanisms can be just as active to prevent injury and trying to force my way into working a tight muscle really is counterproductive. Plus, your whole body doesn’t require deep tissue massage, just areas that are chronically tight and sore.
So you’re probably wondering why if No Pain, No Gain isn’t good when it comes to massage, how then, can I, as your therapist do deeper work and break up some of the scar tissue and help with chronic pain and get into the deeper layers of the muscle?
Believe it or not, it is more effective to do deeper work by using a lighter, sustained pressure on a particular area. This allows the muscle to “melt” and allows me to get into the deeper layers of the muscle. If I force my way into the muscle, your body will guard and tense up, keeping me from doing anything except making you sore. This aspect means I am working with your body and not against it, which is a better way to achieve the expected results.
So the adage No Pain, No Gain doesn’t work here. A good massage that gets into the deeper layers of the muscle without causing additional soreness is the key!