Form and Function

I've been receiving chiropractic care for years for neck pain and headaches and have recently added deep tissue massage to the regimen to help my adjustments last longer. Like fundal massage I feel like deep tissue massage is almost a misnomer. In "massage", the recipient is peacefully zoned out on Enya, relaxed as a noodle. Deep tissue massage, however, focuses very pointedly on sliding the fascia over its underlying tissue and on stretching the deeper muscles and muscular attachment sites. Deep tissue massage hurts like crazy. It requires deep breathing and concentration. It leaves me sore for days. It inspires me to ask my massage therapist if all massage therapists are sadists, to which replies, "That question comes up fairly often." I take that as an admission of the truth in my question.