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BENEFITS OF MASSAGE

Thursday, 20th January 2022

Massage encapsulates many different techniques with the aim to decrease hyper-irritability in the muscles, assist in restoring better range of motion, reduce soft tissue or chronic pain patterns and promote relaxation.

Massage is a popular treatment choice amongst many, with the common question of which type of massage should I receive? There’s many different treatment options within massage; relaxation, remedial, deep tissue, sports, pregnancy, reflexology and Thai, just to name a few. However, here at PEAK Sports and Spine our massage coaches are regularly asked about the difference between deep tissue and sports massage. This blog will explain the differences between the two. By the end of this blog you should be able to understand the differences, what to expect, benefits and contraindications of such treatment.

What is Deep Tissue Massage?

Deep Tissue massage is used to treat some musculoskeletal and chronic pain conditions. The main objectives of deep tissue techniques is to break up ongoing muscle tension, adhesions or scar tissues in deeper musculature. This form of massage can sound intimidating at first with the main aim of treatment being to target those deep muscle tissues, so it’s not uncommon to feel certain levels of discomfort throughout the treatment. Your massage therapist will be using firm pressure releases and effleurage to the problematic areas and surrounding tissues that could contribute to your discomfort. You may also be asked to incorporate deep breathing into the treatment to help release deep tissues and prevent any subconscious guarding of the muscles. If the pressure is causing too much discomfort it is important you let your massage therapist know.

After a deep tissue massage you should expect to feel tender through the areas of treatment for the day or so following treatment.

What is Sports Massage?

Sports massage is mostly tailored to release tension in soft tissues due to exercise and sporting activities. Similarly to deep tissue massage, sports massage also uses a firmer treating pressure. The aim of sports massage is to stimulate the inactive muscles and stretch out the muscles holding increased tension. The end result aiming to increase range of motion, assist with injury rehab and decrease muscle soreness. During a sports massage you can expect to be treated with multiple techniques, as there isn’t one specific technique dedicated to this form of treatment. Sports massage tends to borrow it’s techniques from other disciplines such as physiotherapy, with the incorporation of soft tissue, trigger point, fascial, active and positional release techniques.

It is important to understand that sports massage is a style of treatment that will be modified to each individual, depending on their training intensities, lifestyle, chosen sports or injury history.

What are the benefits?

Massage has its universal benefits that don’t vary too much between treatment styles. Deep tissue and sports massage share similar benefits with the main difference being dependent on your individual treatment goals. Together these two types of massage can offer the following benefits to you and your body:

Increase circulation
Increase range of motion
Decrease muscle soreness
Assist in preventative care for injury
Assist in general injury rehab
Reduce soft tissue tension
Decrease chronic pain patterns
Promote relaxation

Keeping in mind massage alone isn’t going to promise you the above benefits. It is important to incorporate massage alongside healthy lifestyle habits, this includes regular physical activity or physio-led rehabilitative exercises.

What are the contraindications?

You wouldn’t think there would be too much risk in getting a massage. But it is important to know the possible contraindications that would prevent you from getting a deep tissue or sports massage. Below are some possible risks to deep tissue and sports massage:

Deep Tissue

Circulatory disease
Inflammation
Pregnancy
Varicose veins
Osteoporosis
Uncontrolled Hypertension
Hernias

Sports Massage

Inflammation
Acute injury/undiagnosed injury
Recent surgery (Okay with clearance)
Uncontrolled Hypertension
Circulatory disease

Keeping in mind if you do have any underlying risks to massage to let your massage therapist know. Here at PEAK we can adapt your treatment to best suit your body and needs and avoid any potential risks to massage.

Overall, these two massage techniques are going to provide benefits to ease any discomfort you may be experiencing. Keeping in mind that PEAKs massage coaches will be customising the treatment unique to your body and its symptoms. Sending you home with an exercise program or self release techniques to prolong your relief from pain and prevent it from returning.

Tia Craig

Massage Therapist

PEAK