While deep tissue massage uses a similar pattern as a Swedish massage, the practitioner will use more pressure to stimulate the deepest layers of muscle tissue, tendons and fascia. This pressure helps stimulate blood flow, release tension and ultimately, helps the body heal and protect itself against future injuries. (More on this later.)

Despite this, a deep tissue massage should not be painful. While it can be slightly more uncomfortable than a Swedish massage, it’s important to let your practitioner know if the pressure is above your pain threshold. Too much pressure can cause your body to tense up, which makes it harder to achieve results.

Additionally, you and your therapist should work together to soften the outer layer of muscles to access the deeper ones. You should still be able to breathe deeply into the pressure—it’s important to not hold your breath or contract your muscles to tolerate the deep work. A deep tissue massage also allows you to learn about pressure versus pain and your capacity to “handle” both, which translates into your capacity to “handle” life in general.

Now that we’ve discussed what a deep tissue massage is, here are some of the benefits you can look forward to reaping after beginning this type of massage therapy.

The most obvious and immediate benefit of a deep tissue massage is pain relief. Additionally, massage helps increase the proteins that signal the muscles to produce more mitochondria, which helps muscles recover from injury and activity.     

Deep tissue massages can help improve flexibility and range of motion by helping stimulate the body’s natural lubricants.  

In addition lubricant stimulation, this type of massage can also help with “lactate clearance, delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS), muscle fatigue…and injury prevention and treatment,” which is why it is so popular with athletes.

A lesser known deep tissue massage benefit is how great it can be for your posture! Considering poor posture is one of the leading causes of back pain, massage is a great, all-natural way to help improve this important aspect of your life. 

High levels of stress cause the body to produce excess cortisol, which can lead to various health problems. Fortunately, deep tissue massage has been proven to lower levels of cortisol and increase levels of serotonin and oxytocin, hormones that are responsible for overall happiness, trust and relationship building.

Whether you’re an athlete recovering from an injury, an employee with back pain or an overworked mom, there are a plethora of deep tissue massage benefits that can help you get back to living a more balanced life.