Last Updated on 1 year ago by Edward Matheson
Massage, indisputably, has a wide variety of practices that offer you a unique experience regarding relaxation or releasing pain & muscle aches. Whatever the type of massage is, you may feel great.
Have you heard the name of Swedish & deep tissue massage? Are you puzzled in differentiating between them?
Here we are to solve your puzzle by specifying the difference between Swedish and deep tissue massage.
It’s a hard task for you to realize which type of massage is preferable for your body.
But, if you know the difference between Swedish and deep tissue massage, then it can be better for you. They have shared a series of similarities; nevertheless, they're distinctive from each other in many traditions.
Now, we will discuss briefly Swedish massage vs. deep tissue massage.
What is a Swedish massage?
Swedish massage also called a classic massage, is a widely practiced form of massage that is used for relaxing soft tissues and muscles. Five elementary massage strokes such as effleurage(gliding), petrissage(kneading), tapotement (tapping), friction (cross fiber) and vibration are shaped to boost up circulation & comfort apparent level tension by applying gentle or moderate pressure on your soft tissues & muscles.
The core concentration of this massage is relaxation & pain reduction. This massage can be the superior choice for the people or the patients who have sensitive skin & cherished to upsurge blood & lymph circulation as well as improve their mood, concentration, and sleep.
Watch the video on YouTube: What is a Swedish massage?
- Slackening stress or tension
- Improving blood circulation
- Plummeting pain
- Discharging muscle tension and stiffness
- Lowering pressure
- Relaxing body movement
What is a deep-tissue massage?
A deep tissue massage is an intense form of massage that entails going into deeper layers of muscles and fascia to break down tight knots & scar tissues.
This massage concentrates intensely on precise areas of pain or tension and applies deep pressure as a means to relieve heavy stress, chronic anxiety or injuries, and upgrades posture as well.
Those who have arthritis & tendinitis can be benefited greatly. Also, athletes can get the advantage of relieving soreness along with making flexible muscles.
If you want to have deep tissue massage, you will need to have a deep tissue massage machine. For detailed information on the massage machine, just click on the best deep tissue massage machine reviews.
Health Benefits of Deep Tissue Massage:
- Mobilizing fascial movement
- Improving Posture
- Increasing range of motion
- Releasing muscle tension
- Treating chronic pain in a specific muscle cluster
- Massaging specific area or injury
For more information on deep tissue massage benefits, you can read out our article on deep tissue massage benefits.
Swedish Massage vs Deep Tissue Massage:
The difference between Swedish and Deep Tissue massage can be determined in terms of your approach, pressure, regions of cognizance & intended use. The Swedish & deep tissue massage are similar, but if you go into the insightful study, you may find out a list of differences that are the following:
- Swedish massage is less strong& the level of intensity is milder than deep tissue massage. In the case of Swedish massage, a mild, or medium, or less intense pressure is applied on the surface level of your soft tissues & muscles to stimulate the muscles and nerves in your body.
On the contrary, deep tissue massage is stronger & the level of intensity is hard. In a deep tissue massage, deep pressure is applied to reach the deeper layers of muscles for massaging tendons, fascia, or dense connective tissue and muscle mass.
- Usually, Swedish massage is executed with the help of the hands& fingertips, whereas the elbows & forearms are used to go into the deeper layers of the muscle tissue.
- According to a Swedish physiologist, a Swedish massage is used to speed up the oxygen levels, increase blood circulation, appease pain & tension, decrease stress level, improve mood, and promote sleep.
One the other hand, deep tissue massage remedies acute problems such as scars, arthritis, chronic pain, sciatica, tennis elbow, injuries, stiffness, bad posture, and so on.
- Swedish massage covers the muscular regions, namely: the lower back, the shoulders & the neck, whereas deep tissue massage includes three crucial muscular areas, namely: the back, the neck area & the connective tissues (the fascia).
- Swedish massage is applicable mostly for the people having heavy stress & mental pressure and not having severe muscle difficulties. In contrast, deep tissue massage can be an ideal treatment for the sportsperson like athletes, runners, bodybuilders, & laborers with substantial physical movement.
- Swedish massage can be a perfect choice for the people who would like to have deep relaxation & serenity. Deep tissue massage not only makes the body relaxed, but it also has more proficiency to heal critical pain & tension in your muscles.
- Various tools like massage cushions, hand-held massage machines, massage seats & massage chairs are used at the time of Swedish massage. However, deep tissue massage utilizes tools like a hand-held massager, percussion deep tissue massagers & massager guns.
- Swedish massage doesn’t have any side effects, while deep tissue massage has side effects. To get to know the side effects of deep tissue massage, you may check our article concerning deep tissue massage side effects.
From the above discussion, hopefully, you may get a clear concept of the difference between Swedish and deep tissue massage. For more information & massage technique, you can watch the video on Swedish massage vs. Deep Tissue Massage that assist you in choosing which one is perfect for you.
Warning:
Avoid using both massages under certain conditions if you have severe skin problems, blood clots, deep wounds & any other problem in your nerves or joints.
We always suggest you consult with a professional physician or therapist before taking any massage. And make sure you are taking proper massage techniques according to the requirement of your body.
FAQ About Difference Between Swedish and Deep Tissue Massage:
- How to do Swedish massage?
For getting a Swedish massage, you need to follow five steps that are the followings:
-
- Ease in with Effleurage
- Pick Things Up with Petrissage
- Follow up with Frictions
- Stimulate with Tapotement
- Feel the Vibrations
For watching the steps follow this Video:
- Can I get a massage during pregnancy?
According to the American Pregnancy Association,
“massages during pregnancy have often received ambivalent responses from the health community regarding their safety and purpose. Women can begin massage therapy at any point in their pregnancy – during the first, second, or third trimester. Many facilities will refuse to offer massage to a woman who is still in her first trimester because of the increased risk for miscarriage associated with the first 12 weeks of pregnancy”.
- How much a Swedish massage cost?
The price range of Swedish therapeutic massage varies from $42 to $150 or more.
- Where did Swedish massage come from?
According to the encyclopedia,
The Swedish massage was invented by a Swedish fencing instructor named Per Henrik Ling in the 1830s. When he was injured in the elbows, he reportedly cured himself using tapping (percussion) strokes around the affected area. He later developed the technique currently known as Swedish massage. This technique was brought to the United States from Sweden by two brothers, Dr. Charles and Dr. George Taylor, in the 1850s.
- Does deep tissue massage hurt?
It depends on the user. In the beginning, you may feel discomfort or light pain, but later on, you may feel better when you are accustomed to this massage. Again, overuse or wrong use of massage can hurt you.
- Where to get deep tissue massage?
You can get deep tissue massage from physiotherapy centers or at home through various massage machines.
Final Thought:
Massages can be vital devices for conserving your overall health and comfort. Also, it aids you by providing you relaxation and calmness. The techniques of Swedish & deep tissue massage are correspondingly decent in their way, but, you need to identify which technique is appropriate for you.
The difference between Swedish and deep tissue massage is estimated precisely in this article. The people who have mild pain & essentially needed relaxation can select top quality Swedish massage, whereas the people with heavy physical pressure may greatly be benefited by deep tissue massage.
For making your massage comfortable& enjoyable, the prerequisite for you is to go through its reviews & check for quality guarantees as well as the flexibility of features.
To get to know which deep massage machines can be effective for you, you can read our research article about the best deep tissue massage machine reviews that help you to explore the perfect piece of equipment.
