Deep Tissue Massage: Effects, Benefits, and Why You Need It

There’s plenty you’ll love about the Deep Tissue Massage. For starters, it’s convincingly thorough at probing deep into your muscles where the problems seem to hide.

With that, it also gives you unrivalled accessibility and flexibility. A massage therapist can knead those muscles loose. Or you can simply let a handheld deep tissue massager hammer away.

Either way, you do get a lot in every stroke. And in this article, we’ll flesh out what makes a Deep Tissue Massage as satisfying as it is effective.

What to expect

A Deep Tissue Massage works the deeper layers of your skeletal muscles. And its therapeutic effects come from the repetitive strokes into these areas. To give you an idea, here’s a rundown of how a typical session goes:

You usually start by identifying different types of pain points. Where do you feel sore or tired? Does anything feel injured? Are there other things that make you particularly vulnerable? The scope and target of your massage would depend on your current needs and state.

At the start of the actual massage, you first get a “warm up round” of softer strokes. This is also to gauge your pain tolerance in the target muscle group. After that, the pressure and intensity can finally start to increase, pushing the limits of your comfort.

Because of this, the feedback loop stays open during Deep Tissue Massage sessions. You get to decide whether it’s too little or too much. And any perceived pain should still feel therapeutic and tolerable. Remember, the point of this massage is to feel genuinely better afterwards.

What happens to your body

They don’t call the Deep Tissue Massage “good pain” for nothing. It’s actually capable of being your best painkiller and stress reliever all at once. And it can fundamentally benefit you by interacting with the vital inner layers of your muscles.

Blood flow improves

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A Deep Tissue Massage is capable of stimulating better blood flow. And this ensures that all your problem areas get their dose of oxygen and other healing nutrients. The boost in circulation helps relieve any troublesome soreness and swelling to boot.

It simultaneously raises your own body heat and distributes it better, soothing your tired muscles. It can also get rid of any stiffness left behind when swelling subsides. Moreover, the increased body heat spares your heart from strain by dilating your blood vessels.

Muscle knots untangle

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Muscle knots are a persistent and localized form of muscle tension. They occur when you overwork your muscles, or hold them in awkward positions. And for this problem, the Deep Tissue Massage emerges as the best solution.

Its soothing pressure seeps right into every nook and cranny of your muscles. And conveniently, it usually doesn’t take a lot of time and effort before you start to feel relief. Even a handheld deep tissue massager can dislodge most of these tight spots in under two minutes.

Lymphatic flow improves

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Your lymphatic system’s job is mainly to flush out waste and toxins from different parts of your body. And it can be easy for this process to hit obstructions, or simply stagnate. One of the common culprits for poor lymphatic flow is the aforementioned muscle tension.

And as soon as the unnecessary tension goes away, it also stops blocking your lymphatic pathways. This, together with the Deep Tissue Massage’s highly stimulating compression, makes your lymphatic system more efficient.

Nerves calm down

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All the pain and tension relief from a Deep Tissue Massage provide a calming effect on your nerves. This includes your parasympathetic nervous system, which manages your stress. On top of that, it also triggers the release of serotonin.

These effects also point to a better circulatory health. While there’s no direct evidence that Deep Tissue Massages cure Hypertension, they’re proven quick fixes to help manage it. Studies can confirm that a session can stabilize both your blood pressure and heart rate.

What it means for your performance

It’s not always easy to visualize how your body responds to a Deep Tissue Massage. But feeling the difference is as easy as everything else you’re about to do afterwards. It can be tempting to think the intensity is madness; but its method actually leaves you more unhindered.

You become stronger

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There’s a reason why the deep tissue massager pops up in more warm up routines nowadays. As the blood flow and body heat increase, your muscle performance and range of motion improve. This gives you a chance to earn more benefits for less pain in every workout.

In addition to that, there’s another part of you that a Deep Tissue Massage fortifies. It also boosts your immune responses, in which your Lymphatic System plays a role. As the massage stimulates your lymphatic flow, it helps release more pathogen-fighting lymphocytes.

You lose more weight

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Truly one of the body’s unsung hard workers, the Lymphatic System also contributes to your metabolism. One study suggests links between poor lymphatic health and metabolic disorders. And a more recent one finds that lymphatic flow can even prevent obesity.

That’s due to its crucial role in the absorption of fat and fat-soluble nutrients. That being said, the Deep Tissue Massage’s effects on the lymphatic system may also influence how fast you burn calories.

You heal faster

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One thing all active folks dread the most is the Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness (DOMS). This happens when your muscles accumulate small tears from strenuous physical activity. And this can last for up to 3 days after your workout.

Studies show that Deep Tissue Massage can stop DOMS in its tracks. Its ability to stimulate heat and blood flow allows your healing to begin right away. And it’s becoming commonplace to reach for a handheld deep tissue massager to nip those post-workout woes in the bud.

You rest easier

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The Deep Tissue Massage is naturally relaxing in more ways than one. By addressing the effects of muscle fatigue, it stops any soreness and tightness from bothering you any further. And it’s something that feels undeniably satisfying after a long day.

The deep, soothing strokes also block pain signals to your brain. This shifts your mind from panic mode to recovery mode. As a result, you’ll find that this helps you get less anxiety, more sleep, and a better mood.

The Bottomline

The Deep Tissue Massage elicits physiological responses from your body that instantly transform your physical and mental state. And it works for boosting performance and inducing relaxation alike.

It’s a welcome addition to all sorts of lifestyles, too – barring serious injuries and sensitive conditions. And when in doubt, you can always consult your doctor on what’s suitable for you.

Furthermore, all the good things about a Deep Tissue Massage can nowadays be at your beck and call. Interested? Click the link to learn more about the massage gun Australia is aptly growing fond of.