• reduce pain
• improve mobility; increase range of motion (ROM); restore ease of movement
• reduce muscle hypertonicity, tension, and spasm
• reduce scar tissue and other fascial adhesions (which can impair both circulatory and nerve function in addition to creating mechanical restrictions)
• promote circulation (of both blood and lymph)
• reduce ischemia (by releasing hypertoned muscles and reducing fascial adhesions, thereby improving circulation)

A classic deep tissue move is slowing running the point of the elbow (olecranon process) down the length of the spine, next to the spinous processes of the vertebrae. This releases both the superficial erector spinae muscles and the deeper transversospinalis muscles. I use my fingertips, knuckles, hands, elbows, and forearms during deep tissue massage.

I will often ask you to breathe into the area I'm working on during a deep tissue session. This both gets you to focus on the affected area and promotes movement that improves the efficacy of the work.

Contrary to a widely held myth, deep tissue massage doesn't have to hurt to be effective. One of my deep tissue massage teachers said, "If you are specific, you can go deep." If you have thorough anatomical knowledge - if you know the origin, insertion, and action of each muscle - and understand how muscles and tendons work, then you can work effectively on very deep structures without causing pain. This is how I most often do deep tissue massage.

However, some types of very specific deep work - like Cyriax cross-fiber friction - may be called for in some situations, and these techniques may hurt both during and after the treatment. I will always warn you about this ahead of time and will work only within your comfort range. I will sometimes recommend icing the affected area after the massage. Typically, you will notice improved mobility almost immediately, and the pain usually disappears within a day or two.