Deep Tissue & Massage Techniques

The hands-on work outside of chiropractic adjustment is the other half of what helps most spinal complaints. These notes cover the manual therapies and self-tools I refer to, recommend, or use alongside my own work — Rolfing and ART, the fascial scrapers, the percussion guns, the lacrosse balls, the foam roller — with attention to what each is actually doing and when it makes the difference.

• 10 Aug 2026 What is deep tissue massage: A Clinical Note A practice note on what is deep tissue massage — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 09 Aug 2026 Myofascial release explained: A Practical Guide A practice note on myofascial release explained — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 05 Aug 2026 Is myofascial release worth it: Causes and Care A practice note on is myofascial release worth it — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 01 Aug 2026 Cupping for the back for back pain: What Helps A practice note on cupping for the back for back pain — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 31 Jul 2026 What to expect from a back massage: Causes and Care A practice note on what to expect from a back massage — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 18 Jul 2026 Sports massage explained: What Helps A practice note on sports massage explained — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 15 Jul 2026 Trigger point therapy for back pain: A Practical Guide A practice note on trigger point therapy for back pain — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 11 Jul 2026 The benefits of cupping for the back: A Practical Guide A practice note on the benefits of cupping for the back — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 01 Jul 2026 What to expect from myofascial release: From the Practice A practice note on what to expect from myofascial release — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 21 Jun 2026 Is sports massage worth it: From the Practice A practice note on is sports massage worth it — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 17 Jun 2026 Deep tissue massage for back pain: What I Tell Patients A practice note on deep tissue massage for back pain — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 03 Jun 2026 The benefits of deep tissue massage A practice note on the benefits of deep tissue massage — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 28 May 2026 Active Release Technique (ART): A Practitioner's Overview A practice note on active release technique — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 21 May 2026 Aromatherapy Massage for Back Tension A practice note on aromatherapy massage — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 16 May 2026 The Bowen Technique: A Gentle Soft-Tissue Approach A practice note on Bowen technique — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 15 Apr 2026 Chair Massage: Quick Relief for the Upper Back A practice note on chair massage — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 19 Feb 2026 Combining Massage With Chiropractic Care A practice note on combining massage chiropractic — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 07 Feb 2026 Cupping Therapy: Myofascial Decompression Explained A practice note on cupping therapy — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 02 Feb 2026 Deep Tissue Massage: What It Is and What It Isn't A practice note on deep tissue massage — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 07 Jan 2026 Dry Needling vs Acupuncture: The Mechanism Difference A practice note on dry needling vs acupuncture — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 16 Dec 2025 Finding a Qualified Massage Therapist A practice note on qualified massage therapist — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 11 Dec 2025 Foam Rolling the Lumbar Region: When to Avoid It A practice note on foam rolling lumbar — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 07 Dec 2025 Foam Rolling the Thoracic Spine: A Daily Drill A practice note on foam rolling thoracic spine — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 22 Nov 2025 Graston and IASTM Tools: How They Fit in Soft-Tissue Work A practice note on Graston IASTM massage — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 15 Nov 2025 Gua Sha (Fascia Scraping): A Note for Practitioners A practice note on gua sha fascia scraping — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 03 Nov 2025 Hellerwork: A Rolfing-Adjacent Movement-Aware Approach A practice note on Hellerwork — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 22 Oct 2025 Hot Stone for Chronic Back Tension A practice note on hot stone chronic back tension — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 15 Oct 2025 Lacrosse Ball Trigger Point Release A practice note on lacrosse ball trigger release — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 08 Oct 2025 Lomi-Lomi for the Back: The Hawaiian Approach A practice note on lomi-lomi for back — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 24 Sep 2025 Lymphatic Drainage of the Back: When It Helps A practice note on lymphatic drainage of back — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 19 Sep 2025 Massage for Desk Workers: Targeting the Sitting Body A practice note on massage for desk workers — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 16 Sep 2025 Massage Gun for Back Muscles: Dos and Don'ts A practice note on massage gun back muscles — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 14 Sep 2025 Massage Red Flags: When to Avoid Massage Altogether A practice note on massage red flags — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 21 Aug 2025 Myofascial Release: The Principles That Make It Work A practice note on myofascial release — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 14 Jul 2025 Peanut Ball Mobilization: A Targeted Self-Tool A practice note on peanut ball mobilization — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 09 Jul 2025 Percussion Gun vs Foam Roller for Back Muscles A practice note on percussion gun vs foam roller — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 25 Jun 2025 Postnatal Recovery Massage: A Practitioner's Notes A practice note on postnatal recovery massage — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 15 Jun 2025 Prenatal Massage Safety: A Conservative Note A practice note on prenatal massage safety — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 13 Jun 2025 Professional Massage Frequency for Chronic Back Issues A practice note on professional massage frequency — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 22 May 2025 Rolfing: Structural Integration in Ten Sessions A practice note on Rolfing structural integration — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 05 Apr 2025 Self-Massage With Tools: A Practitioner's Recommendations A practice note on self-massage tools — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 31 Mar 2025 Shiatsu for the Spine: A Note on the Japanese Tradition A practice note on shiatsu for spine — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 05 Mar 2025 Sports Massage for Athletes: Pre-, Inter-, and Post-Event A practice note on sports massage for athletes — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 16 Feb 2025 Swedish vs Deep Tissue: Which Massage for Your Back A practice note on swedish vs deep tissue — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 30 Jan 2025 Thai Massage for the Back: A Practical Note A practice note on Thai massage for back — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 28 Jan 2025 Theragun Protocols for the Spine Area A practice note on Theragun protocols spine — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.
• 01 Jan 2025 Trigger Point Therapy: Fundamentals in Plain Language A practice note on trigger point therapy — assessment patterns, conservative care, the self-care that helps between visits, and the signs that mean it is time to involve a clinician.