Is deep tissue massage supposed to hurt?

No. Deep tissue massage should feel intense but productive — never sharp pain. The sensation people describe as a "good hurt" comes from sustained pressure into a tight, restricted muscle releasing. Sharp pain, breath-holding, or post-session bruising means the pressure was too aggressive for what your tissue needed that day.

A good therapist adjusts pressure in real time based on your feedback and the quality of the tissue under their hands. At MOOV., deep tissue work is performed by licensed therapists working alongside clinicians, so if a session uncovers something structural — a joint restriction, a nerve irritation — there's an immediate path to integrated care.