Deep Tissue Massage FAQ

Our Deep Tissue Massage FAQ page contains questions our clients commonly ask us before their first visit. Please call or email us if you have additional questions.


Should I do anything special to prepare for my first Deep Tissue Massage visit?

There is nothing different that you must do the day of your Deep Tissue Massage session. However, following these tips may help your experience to be more enjoyable.

1. Drink plenty of water, especially before Deep Tissue Massage. Tight muscles become dehydrated. Giving your body more fluid will help your muscles to soften faster during your session.

2. When bathing, omit shaving the day of your session. Razor burn and nicks are not serious, but they may pose as a minor distraction. Don't worry. Your therapist is concerned with your health issues, not body hair.

3. Eat regular meals. An empty stomach may prove to be distracting during your Deep Tissue Massage session.

What should I expect for my first Deep Tissue Massage visit?

Since our practice focuses on massage and other healing therapies, you can expect to enter a quiet, relaxing environment, free of the odors and noises associated with a salon. After you have completed a Confidential Health History Form, your therapist will take you to a private room to discuss your current conditions and preferences so that your session will be more individualized. Expressing your concerns at this time (areas to avoid, draping, room temperature) will enable you to be more relaxed during the Deep Tissue Massage session.

What should I wear during Deep Tissue Massage?

Deep Tissue Massage is usually received with a minimal amount of clothing so that oil may be used on the skin. This allows the therapist to massage the tissues without friction or tugging the skin. At Hands On Healing Arts all clients are required to wear underwear or shorts. You are welcome to wear additional clothing if doing so will make you feel more comfortable. You will also be draped with a sheet and/or blanket.

What happens during a Deep Tissue Massage session?

You will be properly draped at all times. Only the area of the body being massaged will be exposed. During Deep Tissue Massage the therapist may use fingertips, knuckles, hands, elbows, and forearms. It is, therefore, important to give your therapist feedback so that pressure may be adjusted to your comfort level. When your therapist moves one of your limbs, it is not necessary to help. In fact, he/she may be using movement or traction (gentle pulling of the limbs) to help assess where you are most tense or whether your body is unwinding. Just relax and let your therapist do all of the work!

What does Deep Tissue Massage feel like?

Since Deep Tissue Massage focuses on deeper layers of tissue than Swedish Massage, the strokes used are similar but with deeper pressure. It should feel nurturing and as though the tension is being melted away from your muscles. When a muscle has been chronically tense, you may experience a sensation of "good soreness". Just take a couple deep breaths and focus on letting go of the tension within that muscle. Do not hesitate to let the therapist know if this is uncomfortable. Each session can be modified to meet your needs.

Does Deep Tissue Massage have to hurt in order to be effective?

No, it does not have to hurt. A skilled Deep Tissue Massage therapist knows how to work with the different layers of tissue slowly, allowing each layer to relax before working deeper. Again, your feedback is important in creating a pain-free session.

What happens after a Deep Tissue Massage session?

Deep Tissue Massage can be balancing. It is possible to feel both energized and relaxed after a session. Regarding your level of activity after your session, just listen to your body and modify your routine as needed. If this is your first massage, you may feel so relaxed that you want to rest a while. Some clients experience slight soreness since massage affects the body like mild exercise. This feeling usually dissipates by the end of the following day. Drinking water will help this effect.

How often should I receive a Deep Tissue Massage?

If you want the benefits of Deep Tissue Massage to be cumulative, it is best to schedule your sessions every 4-6 weeks. In other words, receiving massage therapy regularly will help to maintain the benefits you experience.

Why is this button here?

Return from Deep Tissue Massage FAQ to MassageTherapyIndy Home