DEEP TISSUE MASSAGE IS A MYTH
If you ask me, it’s time to shift how we categorize and describe massage.
A BRIEF HISTORY
P.H. Ling is often credited with being the originator of Swedish massage, but in Sweden he was actually considered the father of physical therapy. He developed Medical Gymnastics in the 1800’s, combining movement and therapeutic touch to heal himself from injury. In the latter part of the decade it was Johann Mezger who refined Ling’s techniques which became what we know as effleurage, petrissage, friction, and tapotement. However, it was US born George Taylor, a physician who traveled to Sweden to study massage and hydrotherapy who brought these movement and therapy techniques to the States, opening the Institute of the Swedish Movement Cure NYC in 1859.
It wasn’t until the 1970’s that deep tissue muscle therapy via Therese Pfrimmer, emerged as an alternative to the Swedish massage style. Billed as a more direct, focused technique to treat physical ailments, it evolved with James Cyriax’ use of deep friction, traction, and range of motion for treating musculoskeletal conditions. Deep tissue massage is often described as a specialized, therapeutic approach targeting deeper muscle layers and attachments to relieve tension. Therapists use slow, firm strokes often using fingers, thumbs and sometimes elbows for focused pressure.
I don’t know about you, but that sounds like what I do in nearly every session as well as enabling relaxation and stress relief!
So when did it become one or the other on a treatment menu? When, why and how did Swedish massage get regulated to a ‘spa massage’ you choose solely for relaxation and stress relief while deep tissue as the choice to ‘fix’ a problem?
DEEP IS SUBJECTIVE
Whenever someone asks me if i do deep tissue massage I ask, “What does that mean to you?” and the answer is mostly “I like deep pressure” or “I want a strong massage”. Based on the description above, deep pressure is not the same thing as deep tissue technique which creates confusion right of the bat and, to compound that confusing language, what may seem deep to you is not to someone else, or even me!
My inherent physical strength and ability to leverage my body during a session differs from other therapists. How my ‘deep’ work is perceived by the person on the table will differ from the next one. Every therapist has encountered a client who requested deep tissue only to wince and ask to lighten up the pressure within the first 10 minutes of the session!
DEEPER DOESN’T MEAN BETTER
If I notice someone wincing, clenching, or holding their breath during a session that tells me I need to adjust my approach, not adopt the mentality of ‘no pain no gain’. The body cannot relax when the brain is signaling a lack of safety or pain. With experience, therapists learn that they can achieve much better results by coaxing soft tissue to ‘let go’ with a variety of pressures, tempos and techniques rather than jamming an elbow into someone’s body. Some of the greatest results come from gentle rhythmic movements when the nervous system is given permission to quiet down. We, as therapists and the industry in general, need to effectively communicate and (re)educate consumers with this message.
I refuse to give clients more than what my body and theirs can handle. Working with excessive force just for the sake of it isn’t sustainable and can lead to injury for everyone.
THE ‘SPA MASSAGE’ MYTH
Somehow the term ‘spa massage’ made it’s way into the wellness lexicon along with the notion that therapists working in spas weren’t doing ‘real’ massage.
I worked in spa settings for 15 years and i never once performed a ‘spa massage’ nor did I have a Swedish or a deep tissue routine (neither did any other therapist). I gave someone a massage based on the techniques I had acquired and what the guest needed and wanted.
CLIENTS ARE CONFUSED!
There are two spas near me who have the most extensive list of massage services that are confusing for ME! I can’t help wonder how the average consumer reads 10 descriptions for massage and knows what they want or need! I do know that I want a competent, attentive therapist and I want to leave feeling lighter, with more mobility and less discomfort than when I arrived. How I get there is up to the therapist, not me. One can always request more or less pressure which again, is subjective.
I was recently reading a spa industry magazine about a new spa launching who had this to say about their “innovative approach’ to their menu of services – “…even our treatment menu uses intuitive, human-centric language. Rather than a “60m deep tissue massage’ we offer “I need it all’, ‘downtime’ and ‘ballet bodywork”. What? How is that offering any clarification? How someones needs are met should be at the direction of the massage therapist who has a plethora of skills to apply in order to effect change.
SIMPLE SOLUTIONS
Pricing: Another confusing issue is price. Why are spas charging more for deep tissue massage? In my experience, people pick the lower priced service yet expect more. As a therapist I can’t and won’t hold back on techniques I know would be beneficial and the idea of saying to someone, “If you want me to use more pressure you’ll need to pay me $20 extra” is absurd! No one should be paying more for a change in pressure and no therapist should be holding back useful skills based on price.
Services: I am absolutely a champion of a streamlined treatment menu that provides clarity for both consumers and massage therapists. During my time developing spa concepts I intentionally wrote ONE description for massage on treatment menus unless it was a very specific type of massage. It was a catch-all term at one price that allowed for each therapist to perform the techniques they felt best suited the guest as well as honoring what the guest requested. If I’m booking a service I want to place my trust in the professional.
It’s time for spas to give massage therapists the flexibility and responsibility to give guests something they all claim to uniquely offer, a tailored experience. While we’re at it, give them all the bells and whistles to perform the task – cups, hot stones, aromatherapy, etc. without up charging clients.
Communication + Education: The amount of incorrect statements I hear from people about massage is discouraging. There is so much misinformation or misleading claims within the industry that continue to be repeated year after year – massage flushes out toxins, you need to drink water immediately after a session, massage is only effective if it’s painful, etc.
Therapists need to break from the deep tissue narrative and instead communicate how the nervous system and soft tissues respond to touch and promote the idea that gradual and periodic pressure adjustments as needed can achieve better results. Continue to learn and share your techniques and their purpose with your clients.
My perspective on bodywork is to give your body permission to shift. I do that by working methodically, slowly, and gently yet deliberately as I attempt to coax your tissues to soften. I know that aggressive techniques overburden the nervous system, creating a defense mechanism where no ease or softening can occur. I understand that quite often, where it hurts isn’t where the issue lies. The systems in your body do not operate alone! I look for patterns, I observe your breath, your reactions, and with attention and intention, try to create a more cohesive rhythm that creates a shift in your body, mind, and nervous system.