Deep tissue and sports massage is performed by qualified and insured massage and remedial massage therapists. These types of massage stimulate the nervous system through intense physical sensation. Like relaxation massage, deep tissue and sports massages are routines with the client lying passively on the table. Deep tissue massage might be ‘full body’ or ‘upper body’ while sports massage will target ‘arms, back and shoulders’ or ‘legs and hips’ . The strokes are deeper and slower for deep tissue and broader and harder for sports but still rhythmic and repetitive.
Will it hurt? Yes. Clients who request deep tissue typically want to feel ‘good pain‘ derived from intense pressure. This pressure is targeted at ‘knots‘ (trigger points) but does not linger the way a remedial massage would. Sports massage uses broader strokes called ‘deep horizontal gliding‘ to forcibly separate muscle fibres from connective tissue which will cause varying levels of discomfort.