Deep Tissue Massage

Have you been experiencing chronic soreness from a stiff neck or shoulders? What about acute pain from a sprain or other recent injury? If so, your pain is likely due to misalignment of the layers of muscles or other tissues in the area, and can be treated with deep tissue massage therapy.

Luckily for you, deep tissue massage is one of our specialties here at Blue Water Bodywork. Unlike many other massage therapy businesses in Salt Lake City, we focus on finding the root cause of your pain or discomfort in order to prevent it from happening again.

While typical Swedish massage is relaxing and beneficial in many ways, we have found in most cases that it is merely a temporary solution — like taking a pain reliever. But why take a temporary pain reliever when you have the option of eliminating the cause of your pain altogether? With deep tissue massage, we can make that happen.

Who can benefit from deep tissue massage?

As mentioned above, those with chronic or acute pain in their muscle, tissues, or bones will find deep tissue massage the most beneficial.

Chronic pain most commonly stems from what we call “chronic holding patterns.” One example is your posture. Those who sit at a desk in their office all day tend to have pain in their back, neck and shoulders because they are hunched over, with their arms extended forward. Over time, your muscles in those areas will become excessively contracted or stretched out — even when you’re away from your desk. This in turn causes misalignment as the rest of your body adapts to the misplacement of those muscles. The same goes for your standing and sleeping postures.

Others who can benefit from deep tissue massage are athletes. The “chronic holding patterns” concept applies here as well. Working out your muscles causes them to contract, and if you’re not keeping them stretched out and aligned, you’re at a greater risk for pain, or even injury.

What to Expect

Deep tissue massage is characterized by slower, more deliberate strokes with more applied pressure. Using this technique, your therapist is able to reach those deeper layers of muscle, tendons, and other tissues that wouldn’t otherwise be affected by typical Swedish massage.

Because of the deep pressure, especially on the tender areas, many people find that deep tissue massage can be a bit painful. If that’s the case for you, be sure to tell your therapist, and he or she will adjust the pressure accordingly.

After the massage, it is typical to feel a little sore as the deep layers of muscles have been realigned and are in the healing process. To speed things up, it’s advised to ice the areas that were worked on, and drink plenty of water. Depending on your individual needs, you may require a deep tissue massage once every two weeks to a month.

At Blue Water Bodywork, your therapist will be happy to discuss this with you, answering any questions you may have, and adjusting your massage plan accordingly.