What you need to know about deep tissue massage

There isn’t much that The Massage Company doesn’t know about massage. The most popular treatment on any spa’s menu, massage offers a raft of wellbeing benefits for mind and body, but how much do you know about them? Here, The Massage Company’s Head Therapist and National Trainer, Levi Kiss explains everything you need to know about deep tissue massage.

How would you explain a deep tissue massage to someone who had never had one before?

It’s a massage where we concentrate in detail on the muscle groups to relieve tension, stimulate and heal. It’s different to a Swedish massage or an aromatherapy, which is relaxing, but we can add to it with hot stone or aromatherapy to enhance the treatment.

What does it involve?

At The Massage Company we use a specific set of techniques in order to maintain high standards. We have several locations, and all our therapists are trained in the company to know muscles groups and to follow the same techniques. That way, customers know that whichever location they go to, they can expect the same quality every time wherever they go. We have taken the original concept of deep tissue and developed it further. Our techniques are tried and tested, and work really well.

Where does deep tissue massage come from?

Massage itself can be traced back to the ancient Greeks and Egyptians. Deep tissue massage is often thought of as a sports massage, but that’s really just marketing. Anyone can do massage, but what we call deep tissue is about a real knowledge of the muscle groups and really concentrating on them, specifically to ease tension. It’s very much about that physical wellbeing, but of course it has a lot of other benefits as well.

What are the benefits of deep tissue massage?

It’s really good for supporting general health. It relieves tension in the muscles and encourages immune system to work better and faster. For people who suffer with fatigue and issues such as fibromyalgia (pain in the fibres of the muscles), regular massage can really help to ease symptoms and get through the week. In general, it helps to relieve muscular aches and pains, whether that’s from age, lifestyle, an ailment or sports.

Who benefits the most from this type of massage?

Massage is for anyone at any age. We offer massage to minors aged 16 to 18, and it’s a great way to support their growth and influence their relationship with wellbeing. We see lots of sporty people, for whom it helps performance in the gym and recovery afterwards. We also have older clients suffering from issues like back ache. Back pain is the most common complaint and if we think about it, the spine is the rock of the body so if something goes wrong with it, it has an impact on everything we do. Recently we have had a lot of people come to us as a result of working from home and sitting at kitchen tables in uncomfortable chairs resulting in pain and general tension in the body. So really, everyone can benefit.

Are there any contraindications to deep tissue massage?

Anyone can have a massage, and it’s been shown that there are real benefits for people suffering from serious illnesses like cancer, or during sensitive stages of life, such as pregnancy. For those circumstances, the treatment might need to be adapted so that it’s more gentle or to avoid specific areas of the body, but in general, massage is for everyone.