FUNCTIONAL DEEP TISSUE MASSAGE

The F.D.T.M. as a therapeutic method specifies in identifying and breakout any muscle tension in the body. The tensions (muscle spasms), are the main cause of many and various Musculoskeletal problems, chronic or acute, that appear in the middle, upper and lower back, neck, and shoulders.

To understand how the technique works we must explain two medical terms we hear often but might not know exactly what they mean.

• Musculoskeletal imaging’s usually confined to the surface muscles of the human body. But there is a second and third deeper level of the muscle system. At these levels are usually recorded and stored, all chronic muscular tensions of our body. They create "grips", rigidities and acute pain crises in surrounding muscles. They also pull and push our spinal column, changing their connections with each other and creating small “shifts”.
• The term "muscle spasm" refers to a type of abnormal muscle activity characterized by sudden, involuntary muscle contractions that cause trauma or irritation. Their symptoms are typically stiffness and soreness of the muscles. Usually appear after repetitive motion, permanent poor posture, musculoskeletal trauma or inflammation (e.g. sprain, bruising, bursitis, arthritis). It can be chronic or acute and occur in various muscle groups, e.g. in the deep muscles of lumbar and neck. Of course muscle spasms are also, the commonly known as cramps, which can affect any muscle. Usually occur in the legs and hands and, although painful, are harmless in most cases. They are created when the muscle cells run out of energy, i.e. water, glucose, sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium.

The Functional Deep Tissue treatment can effectively help to all the problems of the musculoskeletal system, such all the problems of the muscles, tendons, pockets, nerves and bones in the areas of the neck, middle, upper and lower back, shoulders, hands and legs. Such as:

• lumbago (various causes)
• sciatica
• neck syndromes (various types)
• Arthritic and rheumatic pains
• problems in the shoulder or the elbow
• carpal tunnel syndrome
• cramps etc.

From the very start of our life, we are trained to suppress the expression of emotions and to “bury” on our subconscious all our painful experiences, thoughts and situations. Both our soul and body "stigmatized" by anything that happens in psychological terms. Every shock, any anxiety, all our bitterness and anger, every rejection is recorded in our body with blockages, muscle spasms, rigidities and pain.

We are squeezing our muscles, clenching our teeth and hold our breath, to pull through. As a result we are creating, directly but also long-term, malfunctions in various areas of our body. Depending on the person and the quality of the' blockage ', this is expressed in the neck, waist, back, shoulders, but also in the internal organs (liver, intestines, stomach ...). Of course the “puzzle” of pain fills up with “pieces” such as stress at work, accidents, bad posture and lack of exercise.

The F.D.T.M. treatment is a combination of massage and deep-breathing techniques. The therapist during the session is working within the limits of comfort of the client without ever surpasses. With calm and stable power, activates the neuro-muscular potential. Depending on the malfunction and always in the most natural and almost painless way, addresses to the physical and mental needs of the client. Deep special breaths also support relaxation and so the result is to feel a sweet, satisfying, comforting reliving pain like if we’re "breaking down" an abscess. After the session everybody seems to understand the deep mechanism of malfunctioning and also realize that he can treat himself naturally.

The F.D.T.M. above all is a Holistic Healing Technique that should be applied only by qualified, well-trained therapists. For this reason in the first contact they must fill a complete history of the client, in which besides the physical conditions (work, diet, exercise, sleep), is given great importance in mental status (anxiety, emotions). All this information will help the therapist to get to know the client, so thus to offer an adapted and integrated therapeutic approach. That’s why he will provide him also nutrition advices, exercises, etc. The day of the session is recommended to drink enough water and avoid meat and alcohol.

The benefits from the session are immediate and long-term:

• the client comes back into contact with «icy» parts of the body and so the self-healing process is unblocked
• the effect on pain is immediate from the first session
• the muscles relax and revert into to their normal functionality
• the joints and tendons return to their normal flexibility
• Breathing is released and deeper
• the client feels deep relaxation and well-being

“The term massage (malaxis in Greek) refers to a set of specified mechanical effects on the surface of the body, aimed at the rehabilitation of disturbed functions of the whole organism and improvement of physical and mental faculties of the person".

Massage is the most ancient healing technique in the world. Archaeological evidence for the massage has been found in many cultures in China, Greece, India, Japan, N. America, Egypt, Rome, and Mesopotamia.

In the tomb of Akmanthor( 2330 BC, known as "the tomb of doctor") in Sakara of Egypt there is the oldest relative imaging with two men offering each other massage to the feet and hands. In the Nei-Jing book (722 BC), which is a collection of medical knowledge and the foundation of Traditional Chinese Medicine, massage refers to 30 different chapters. Specifies the use of different massage techniques and how they should be used in the treatment of particular illnesses and injuries.

There are too many references, proving that to touch, caress and massage the painful parts of our body is a reflex for human, as for almost all kinds on our planet! The knowledge that the massage of the suffering body points provides healing comes from the ancient times and because of its great value, has grown in all parts of the world and reached our days.

The Swedish massage is the most notorious massage technique and the base of the Deep Tissue massage. The Sweden doctor P. Ling (1813) was considered the "creator" of the Swedish massages. Although this option is doubtful by many, it is certain that the Swedish or Classic massage is the first modern systematic Deep Tissue massage. Very important was also the contribution of the Canadian doctor T. Phimmer (1949). In his book "Your Muscles-Your Invisible Bonds" sets the key lines for D.T. M. Since then, the D.T.M. began to find his place in sports medicine and physical therapy, as a specialized technique for the control and treatment of chronic muscle aches and injuries of soft tissues. M.D.T. (a type of specialized massage focused on spinal), was taught in the 60’s in some schools of Chiropractic-Osteopathologist and came to Greece by DR. S. Christodoularis. In the 90s G. Rodafinos (alternative therapist) developed M.D.T. adding to the technique a profound liberating breath, thus creating the Functional Deep Tissue treatment.