What is a deep tissue massage?


How good are massages!! Often we can go such long periods in our lives without someone releasing off all the built-up tension in our muscles.

There are so many benefits of massage including recovering from training, toxin release, relaxation, releasing headaches, correcting posture, removing knots in muscles, decreasing anxiety, tension release and aligning your spine better.

There are many different massages and here is a brief run-down on a few that we offer here at Back In Action Physio.

Relaxation/Flush Massage – aimed at relaxing the muscles at a superficial level which in turn helps the patient to relax and recover from daily stresses. Fairly light and comfortable but can be taken deeper if the patient wishes. You may fall asleep during this massage but will definitely feel relaxed by the end and may want to re-book in a week later, and a week later, and a week later, etc because it feels so good. We also recommend this massage within a few days of starting a new form of exercise to help your muscles recover quicker.

Myofascial Release Massage – your fascia is the thin layer which surrounds every muscle and bone in your body. Just like your muscles the fascia can get very tight and have knots in it. As a result your muscles will be prevented from working at an optimal state. A myofascial release massage is all about gently and slowly releasing these tightenings. The physiotherapist will hold certain positions on your body with a big open palm and it will feel like you are getting a nice stretch. This is a very specialist type of massage from a trained therapist so when you book please ask for this one specifically so you can be matched with the right physio.

Deep Tissue Massage/Trigger Point Massage – all of our muscles have many layers and the fibres slide together and slide apart as they shorten and lengthen to help you move. Sometimes the fibres get stuck together creating what we call ‘knots’ or trigger points. The more knots you have, the more likely you are to tear the muscle, but also the muscle is unable to use that part for strength, speed and power. A deep tissue massage is aimed at getting all those knots out. The physio would start on the surface and work their way deeper but focusing on holding or kneading the knots until they are released. It is important to drink a lot of water after a deep tissue massage. Expect to feel a bit bruised and tender after this massage but also expect to perform much better at your next training session or event (plus prevent muscle injury)!

Sports Massage – finally the sports massage which can come in many different forms. Before a training or game it is important to warm up the muscles so the massage is fast, vigorous and you will feel warmed up and ready to go. After training or games your muscles need to recover before the next session so it is important to clear out all the lactic acid and remove any knots that you may have developed. Therefore this massage gradually gets deeper into all of the layers and may end up focusing on one area of your body if that is deemed to be a tight, knotty or thickened part. We offer regular 1 hour sports massage for a lot of endurance athletes as they really notice the benefits in their recovery and performance. May sure you keep communicating with your physiotherapist during the massage to get the best results without too much pain or discomfort.

All our massages are offered in 30, 45 or 60 minute sessions but we would highly recommend the 60 minutes to make sure you get the full affects.

Call us today to book at Back In Action Physio  021 GET U BK (438 8 25)  or email  [email protected].