What Deep Tissue Really Is
A Word on Tissue Depth
by Razelle McCarrick, Orthopedic Massage Therapist
The Misuse of “Deep Tissue Massage”
As massage therapists, we frequently receive the request to work deeper or hear phrases like, “go as hard as you can” or “feel free to beat me up”. There is no doubt that just skimming the surface tissues does not achieve a deeply therapeutic result, but the extent of depth patients ask for is often excessive and somewhat alarming. We try to be accommodating as therapists and provide minimal resistance so the patient is happy and relaxed in the sense that they are receiving the sort of treatment they want. For that reason it is difficult to have a dialogue on this issue. A good massage therapist (in other words, all LMTs at Balans each of whom is certified in orthopedic massage) is educated not only in basic anatomy, but in tissue mechanics, which is its own field of interest. We cannot blame the patient for not understanding how tissue operates, but we do encourage you to trust us and to know you are in good hands, literally! Your healing and long term health is our primary interest and passion in life.
The Mechanics Behind Tension and Deep Pressure
Under the skin you not only have muscle tissue but connective tissue called fascia. Fascia envelops each individual muscle fiber, which forms bundles and then full muscle bellies, all enveloped in the web of fascia, which continues throughout the body. When you have a “knot” or adhesion, adjacent layers of these two types of tissues have stuck together like a ball of gum and put a twist in the tissue which pulls from multiple angles and creates tension and pain. In order to relieve you of this pain, pressing as hard as possible on these areas recreates the same scenario as injury itself. Just like when you injure yourself, there is an endorphin rush, which has a morphine-like effect on the body. That is where the association of pain and pleasure come from. The issue is that this effect is temporary and you will feel the pain from such work later.
Achieving Long Term Relief
Our goal as healers is not to re-injure you in our process or to amp up the Central Nervous System (CNS), which facilitates the stress response. Rather, we’d like your CNS to not even notice we are there, to relax on a deep level. Muscle and fascial tissue have what is called a thixotropic property.
“Thixotropy is a shear thinning property. Certain gels or fluids that are thick under static conditions will flow over time when shaken, agitated, or otherwise stressed. They then take a fixed time to return to a more viscous state.”
Some other substances that are thixotropic are silly putty, clay, and refrigerated butter. Your tissue is the same way in that it allows us to change and mold it, but not with excessive force. It requires a patient touch and time to “sink” into it. We cannot work against this, but must work with it, like the flow of water. Then we can give you something that you can take home with you not just for a day, but perhaps a week or longer.
~ Razelle McCarrick, OMT.
