Deep tissue massage is a wonderful technique which can be really effective for areas of pain in the body, including leg pain.
As a skilled therapist I always tailor your massage to you and using deep tissue techniques as part of my range of skills enables me to work deeper into muscles, access some of the more tricky to reach muscles and ideally bring relief from areas that have been contributing to pain / postural issues / injury etc.
Deep Tissue Massage for Your Leg Pain
Deep tissue massage can be a great treatment choice for dealing with leg pain as part of your overall massage.
Remember though that as a therapist it is my aim to assist your body in finding it's way to resolving the problem and any issues that may also have arisen because of it. This is why I am constantly (and silently!!) assessing and re-assessing your muscles as I work to see how each movement is affecting you and I adjust what I do during the massage as I go, depending on what I find here. Working in this way allows me to be as effective as possible.
It's absolutely key that I do a thorough consultation with you at the start of your appointment, this means that I can ensure I am working safely both for you and myself, but also assessing where you're feeling any aches/pain and how this is affecting your body as a whole. This helps me form a plan in my mind of the techniques I will use during the massage, but as I've mentioned this is a fluid plan that changes as I work and assess your muscles with each move.
Does Deep Tissue Massage Hurt?
Deep tissue massage should not cause you pain and as your therapist it is my aim to make you as comfortable as possible throughout your massage, but also work as effectively as possible for you.
I check in with you throughout the massage to make sure the pressure is suitable and keep an eye on your non verbal reactions while I work, as well.
When I start to massage an area the first techniques I use are warming techniques. These are more gentle, flowing movements designed to warm up the muscles which can then allow them to let me in to work more deeply - as in deep tissue massage. At this point I am able to apply greater pressure (if appropriate) without causing pain vs starting at that pressure. I can use a variety of techniques including forearm work, elbows, trigger points, muscle energy techniques, traction & mobility work, depending on what is appropriate for you as I work.
The saying 'no pain, no gain' is not allowed in my practice!! By warming your muscles up thoroughly this should help ensure that unnecessary pain is avoided.
That being said, sometimes you may feel some slight discomfort, especially in areas of pain/injury - however I ensure I manage this throughout and talk to you through it, to ensure I am not causing pain and that any discomfort is diminishing as I work. It is a very controlled way of working and I will never push you to do anything you are not comfortable with or that causes you pain. There are far better techniques to use that have a more gentle approach if you are feeling pain (and can be more effective in these situations), that it's totally unnecessary for a massage to be unbearably painful.
If, however, you are in pain and find the idea of massage too much, I would suggest trying myofascial release, which is a very gentle and different way of working, with a much lighter touch and slower pace. Read more about that here.
If you would like to discuss your specific needs, if deep tissue massage is likely to be appropriate for you, or to make a booking; please do get in touch - I'd love to hear from you! You can contact me here.
- Joanne
