FAQ

The deeper the better right? Is deep tissue right for me?

We see it in every modern spa “Full Body Deep Tissue Massage” and yet nearly every neuromuscular massage therapist refuses to do this kind of service. Why? Deep tissue creates an inflammation response. Which is great sometimes for initiating healing in certain muscles, but full body inflammation? No thanks. That’s why you feel sore, tired, or even sick after a full body deep tissue massage. The point of deep tissue is to blanche/ squeeze a muscle so that new blood rushes into it. This subtly damages and inflames the muscle in the process. If a part of your body is very tender to light touch, it likely means that it is already inflamed. Which means that deep tissue will only exacerbate it.

What is a muscle knot?

Simply- A way for the body to protect you from injury or conserve energy

Knots aren’t always a bad thing. Knots become a painful problem when they enter a negative feedback loop. A muscle knot exists in the absence of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) or in other words- cellular energy. The body recognizes when your energy reserves are low and causes your muscle fibers to latch together in order to help the body stay upright. This may happen also, when the body recognizes a need to protect your joints or reduce the weight bearing on an injury. Tension can be a useful function of the body, but when this tension goes on too long, the muscle gets chronically squeezed off from ATP rich blood flow, triggering it to tense even up further. Knots that “crunch” are often an example of negative feedback loops.  Increasing ATP in the muscle overall depends heavily on diet, sleep, stress reduction, and exercise.