Deep Tissue
A Deep Tissue Massage is
generally a mild and gentle form of stretching that has a
profound effect upon the body tissues. I use this technique
when a client is experiencing acute pain or extreme neck or back
tightness. This can be incorporated into a regular massage
session or can stand on its own.
What is Connective
Tissue?
The connective tissue (also known as
fascia) is a continuous sheet that extends without
interruption from the top of the head to the tip of the
toes. It surrounds and penetrates every tissue and organ of
the body. It resembles the tough white membrane that we
often find on butchered meat.
When it scars and hardens in one area
(following injury, inflammation, disease, surgery, etc.), it
can put tension on adjacent pain-sensitive structures as
well as on structures in far-away areas. So it is necessary
to take a wholistic approach to treatment. A good example is
someone with chronic low back pain; although the low back is
primarily involved, they may also have significant
discomfort in the neck. This is due to the tightening of the
muscles and especially of the fascia, as this tightness has
crept its way up the back, eventually creating neck and head
pain. Therefore to resolve the low back pain it is necessary
to release the fascia of both the head and neck. If the neck
tightness is not also released it will continue to apply a
"drag" in the downward direction until fascial restriction
and pain has again returned to the low back.
A key to the success of connective
tissue treatments is to keep the pressure and stretch
extremely mild. It is estimated that fascia has a tensile
strength of as much as 2000 pounds per square
inch. However, it has been shown that under a
small amount of pressure (applied by a therapist's hands)
fascia will soften and begin to release when the pressure is
sustained over time. (It takes about two minutes for
connnective tissue to even begin to release.) This can be
likened to pulling on a piece of taffy with only a small,
sustained pressure.
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