Deep Connective Tissue Massage
Sharon Hopkins
What is it?
The development of deep connective tissue massage therapy is
credited to the German, Elizabeth Dicke. She had a medical
condition in her legs that caused them to stay cold and
discolored, and develop gangrene. One day while doing stretches
in her lower back, she noticed warmth and a tingling sensation
in her legs. When she continued the stretches, her legs
gradually improved over time. She began to develop a massage
technique based on her observations with two medical doctors,
Kohlrausch and Teirich-Leube. This technique eventually came to
be called deep connective tissue massage.
Deep connective tissue massage treats the body as a whole
instead of just focusing on individual areas at a time. In this
manner, it can treat the problem areas in the body by massaging
connective tissues. Connective tissues fill the spaces in the
body between muscles and fibers, and form a layer around blood
vessels to protect them. They are very delicate and do not take
stress well, therefore they can become injured and painful quite
easily. Deep connective tissue massage aims to release
myofascial restrictions in the body by healing injured
connective tissues and breaking up any restrictive scar tissue.
How does it work?
During a typical therapy session, the massage therapist will
focus on releasing tension from the deeper tissue structures of
the muscle and fascia with deep, intense strokes. Oil or lotion
is not usually used in this form of massage therapy. Deep
connective tissue massage therapy works by physically breaking
down adhesions in muscles, tendons and ligaments. These
adhesions occur due to chronic muscle tension or injury and can
result in blocked circulation, pain, limited mobility and
inflammation. Deep connective tissue massage therapy also
restores the length and flexibility of connective tissue by
normalizing it and by improving the strength and overall health
of the entire connective tissue system.
What are its benefits?
Deep connective tissue massage helps in relieving chronic
tension, increasing the body’s range of motion, improves
posture and enhances the natural harmony of the entire body and
mind. It is a very powerful remedial tool for recovery from
sports-related injuries, repetitive strain injury,
osteoarthritis pain, fibromyalgia and muscle spasms.
Precautions
Because deep connective tissue massage is a very intense form
of massage therapy, do consult a medical practitioner before
signing up for a therapy session. It is not recommended for
people with infectious skin diseases, rashes or open wounds,
people who are prone to blood clots, people who have just had
surgery and pregnant women.
About The Author: Sharon Hopkins authors web content for
http://www.massagehealththerapy.com , which uses artistic hand
strokes to rejuvenate and revitalize you. This article
introduces you to Chest Massage, a massage technique which
decongests your chest. She also writes for Yoga, Aromatherapy
and more
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