DEEP TISSUE MASSAGE: TISSUE REPAIR & FRICTION

New muscle cells can be produced from the stroma or from the parenchyma. Cells produced from the parenchyma provide perfect or near-perfect tissue reconstruction. However, stromal fibroblasts produce replacement tissue that will be scar/fibrous tissue (fibrosis), not specialised to perform the function of the surrounding parenchymal tissue with impairment resulting.

Therefore, the ability of parenchymal tissue to replicate quickly is very important and this can involve many factors, such as the site and extent of muscle damage, immediate treatment for example to reduce inflammatory spread and damage, circulation, age, nutrition…

Fibrous tissue can be found as nodules and adhesions, preventing proper muscle function because of its sticky collagenous nature. It is often the result of overuse. Fibrous tissue can often be felt in strong postural muscles, eg erector spinae, hamstrings, calf muscles as a chewy or lumpy texture or on longer muscles as a stringiness.

Deep tissue friction applies deep pressure onto a muscle or its insertion to break down fibrous tissue. It physically crushes the scar tissue against the underlying bone & usually succesfully stimulates enzyme production to erode the fibrous area. It will also cause some inflammation to increase blood supply & promote healing, so a competent massage therapist will ensure that any therapeutic damage is minimised.

Direct non-rotative pressure into the centre of muscular spasm or contracture stimulates relaxation (the inhibition technique) with muscle spindle proprioceptors in the muscle triggered and relaxation triggered by a reflex arc. Pressure or friction along the muscle insertions not only break down scar tissue but also trigger a stimulus from the golgi tendon organ proprioceptors in the tendons to stimulate the nervous system to relax the muscle.

So we can see that deep tissue massage when friction is applied to a muscle group raises temperature, breaks up inflammatory factors, and breaks down superficial adhesions. It is deep, perpendicular, maintained pressure, sometimes circular. Pressure is applied (with breath work) gradually as deep as acceptable, maintained, gently released.