Deep Tissue Massage Benefits

Whether you’re an athlete with a daily high demand placed on your body or recovering from an injury or illness, deep tissue massage has some benefits to offer you. Deep tissue massage is an effective way to help treat common conditions like arthritis, anxiety and chronic lower back pain.

7 Benefits of Deep Tissue Massage

1. Treats Chronic Back Pain

Treatments over the course of 10 days resulted in significantly better improvements in pain compared to therapeutic massage.

2. Helps Lower High Blood Pressure

Deep tissue massage can have a  positive effect on systolic, diastolic and arterial blood pressure readings in adults with pain and high blood pressure symptoms.

3. Reduces Stress, Anxiety and Muscle Tension

Deep tissue massage has a natural stress-relieving effect including its ability to dilate blood vessels and also lower activity of the limbic system (including the hypothalamus).

4. Breaks Up Scar Tissue

Massage has been shown to help reduce inflammation and muscle spasms by stimulating blood flow.

5. Improves Athletic Recovery and Performance

Deep tissue massages can help improve lactate clearance, delayed onset of muscle soreness, muscle fatigue, injury prevention and injury treatment. (11)

6. Can Help with Labor Pain and Delivery

Because cortisol levels decrease following massage and blood flow is improved, pregnant women are also better protected from excessive fetal activity and risk for premature delivery. (12)

7. Reduces Arthritis Symptoms

Massage is often used to relieve common symptoms of many types of arthritis, including chronic joint pain, stiffness, anxiety, limited range of motion in joints and trouble sleeping.

The primary goal of deep tissue massage is to reduce pain and discomfort, while improving the body’s ability to heal itself. Deep tissue massages are not only relaxing — they also help “lengthen and release muscles” that frequently feel tense and get stuck in uncomfortable holding patterns.