Beyond Pressure: What Deep Tissue Massage Often Misses

Most clients ask for deeper pressure when they book a massage.

They assume tight muscles need hard work. The tighter it feels, the more pressure it needs.

But research shows that 85% of referred pain comes from somewhere other than where you feel it. Your lower back might scream, but the real problem often lives in your hips.

That's what deep tissue massage misses.

Assessment Changes Everything

When someone comes to me asking for deep tissue work, I don't start with pressure. I start with questions and movement.

What's causing the tension? How does your body move? Where's the restriction actually coming from?

I had a client recently with persistent lower back discomfort. They'd tried deep tissue massage before. Felt better for a day, then the tension returned.

The assessment revealed the real issue: tight hip flexors and restricted glutes.

Once I released those areas and restored balance, the back pain eased almost immediately. Not because I worked deeper, but because I worked smarter. How Sports Massage Works Differently Sports massage is goal-driven, not pressure-driven.

I combine stretching, mobilisation, and targeted release to restore proper function. It's active treatment, not just sustained pressure on tight spots.

The psoas muscle attaches directly to your lumbar vertebrae. When hip flexors tighten, they pull your pelvis forward and increase the curve in your lower back. That creates stress on structures that weren't designed to handle it. Deep tissue massage might temporarily relieve the back tension. But without addressing the hip flexors causing it, you're chasing symptoms.

Sports massage treats the pattern, not just the pain.

Why This Matters For You

Your body works as a system. When one area compensates for another, tension spreads.

An assessment-led approach identifies these patterns before they become chronic issues. Sometimes lighter, more targeted techniques prove more effective than simply going deeper.

That's the difference between temporary relief and lasting improvement.

Sports massage at Elbie's Align Therapies starts with understanding your movement, your goals, and what your body actually needs. Then I build a treatment around that.

Not around how much pressure you think you can handle.

Book directly via our website, or through Treat well if you prefer using the app.