These may sound similar, but they are quite different! Deep pressure means to simply apply more pressure, whereas deep tissue uses slow strokes to access deeper layers of muscle tissue and fascia. Let’s look more in depth at how these two differ from one another.
Deep pressure is commonly used during Swedish massage and focuses on areas that hold a lot of tension like the neck, shoulders and back. Deep pressure uses a variety of techniques to increase blood flow and lymph drainage. It also assists with relaxation. Deep pressure serves to loosen up tight muscles caused by our daily activities.
Deep tissue is beneficial when it comes to musculoskeletal injuries, such as strains and sports injuries. With that being said, deep tissue can be beneficial for athletes, runners, or people with injuries. Deep tissue targets the inner layer of your muscles by slowly adding more pressure and using special techniques to access deeper layers of muscles. It is used to treat injuries and break up scar tissue formed from injuries, and it helps reduce muscle tension. By increasing blood flow to the affected area, and assisting with reducing inflammation, deep tissue can also promote faster healing.
Now you know the difference between deep tissue and deep pressure massage. This will help you decide what will be of benefit to you during your massage session.