Designed to relieve severe tension in the muscle and the connective tissue or fascia. This type of massage focuses on the muscles located below the surface of the top muscles. Deep tissue massage is often recommended for individuals who experience consistent pain, who are involved in heavy physical activity (such as athletes), and patients who have sustained physical injury. Deep tissue massage is applied to both the superficial and deep layers of muscles, fascia, and other musculoskeletal structures. The sessions are often quite intense as a result of the deliberate, focused work.