Swedish vs Deep Tissue, Sports & Trigger Point:
What’s the Difference?
Massage isn't just about relaxation, it is about peeling back the layers of pain to get to the root of the problem to restore your body's natural balance and improve your overall quality of life, with less pain and more ease.
At Exhale Wellness Centre, we tailor each treatment to what your body truly needs, often blending multiple modalities and techniques to get the best results. Here is a quick break-down of the main styles we use, and how they work together to support your healing and performance.
Swedish Massage - The foundation of relaxation and blood flow
Swedish massage is one of most well-known widely used forms of massage therapies. It uses long, flowing strokes and kneading to promote relaxation and increase circulation to promote the release of surface level tension
Why it Works:
The slow rhythmic movements help to activate the parasympathetic nervous system - which is your body's natural 'rest and digest' mode. This naturally lowers the stress hormones cortisol; it promotes sleep and encourages release without force.
Perfect for:
General stress relief, people that sometimes struggle to sleep, tight muscles and anyone new to massage
Deep Tissue Massage - Driving into the layers
Deep tissue massage uses similar long strokes and kneading like the relaxation, except with a deeper pressure to target to deeper layers of muscles and fascia (the connective tissue surrounding muscles), it uses slower firmer pressure to slowly break down the adhesions and knots that restrict blood flow and movement and cause pain.
Why it Works:
By applying a deeper pressure, deep tissue techniques increase blood flow to the deeper layers, which in turn lowers inflammation, tension and increases movement.
Perfect for:
People with chronic tension, stiffness, limited mobility and people who like a firmer more therapeutic touch.
Sports Massage - Recovery and performance
Sports Massage focuses on specific muscles used during physical activity, it is not just for athletes, but anyone who is regularly active or on their feet regularly. Depending on your needs, it can include stretches, compression, and targeted techniques to prepare muscles for activity or to speed up the recovery afterwards.
Why it Works:
It improves oxygen flow to the muscles, clears out metabolic waste like lactic acid, and it helps prevent injury by keeping tissue flexible and resilient.
Perfect for:
Active lifestyles, gym-related fitness, athletes or sport players and anyone just wanting to recover faster and move better.
Trigger Point Therapy - Targeted Pain Relief
Trigger Points are spots in the muscle that have a build-up of toxins that restrict blood flow that creates pain and tightness locally or referred (EG, Trigger point in shoulder could cause headaches). trigger point therapy applies direct sustained pressure tied in with your breath to break down the build-up and restore blood flow and function.
Why it Works:
Trigger points restrict blood flow and irritate nerves, when released, circulation improves, muscle fibres lengthen and pain often decreases immediately and creates a domino effect in releasing tension throughout other areas.
Perfect for:
Headaches, neck or back pain, those stubborn knots; that never seem to really go away.
Everybody is unique - which is why no two massages are the same. At Exhale, we have the ability to combine these methods based on what your body is showing us that day. Sometimes you will need the gentleness of the Swedish strokes to calm your nervous system; other times you will need precision trigger point work to release deep tension. massage is not a luxury, it is a form of communication with your body, reminding it that it is safe to release and relax, that is a necessity.