Santa Barbara Barefoot Massage

How does this work?

We come to you! All services are provided at your home or office. It is super easy to see real time availability and schedule your massage through our online booking website. (No need to play phone tag!) You will receive a confirmation email and can cancel or reschedule your appointment without charge, with 24 hours advance notice.

What to expect?

Barefoot Deep Tissue is a clothed, mat-based modality, so the client wears comfortable loose fitting clothing such as gym or yoga wear and is carefully positioned upon a mat on the floor. The therapist uses his feet and hands to gently work the layers of the body.

The results are amazing! Less pain, more movement and deeply relaxing. You have simply got to experience Barefoot Deep Tissue for yourself to feel the healing power of Slower, Deeper, Transformational Bodywork.

Joe Claus, LMT is a certified, insured massage therapist who has the strength and sensitivity that comes with years of practicing deep tissue massage. Joe was trained in Barefoot Deep Tissue Massage by Olympic trainer and national barefoot pioneer, John Harris, author of Fix Pain: Bodywork Protocols for Myofascial Pain Syndromes.

Barefoot Deep Tissue Massage is all about creating a long lasting flood of blood and nutrients into the tissue, releasing the myofacial layers that bind the area together, and creating deep neuro integrations that calm and reset the nervous system.

Barefoot Deep Tissue is a gentle, non-invasive healing modality that starts at the surface and works it’s way deeper and deeper into the layers of muscle and connective tissue at the speed of an ever more receptive body. At each stage of treatment the interventions must be made above the threshold needed to cause physical changes to the tissue, and below the level of invasive pain.

Within the client’s window of tolerance, the felt intensity of the sensations will pendulate. What was painful at the start of the session will be deeply calm and relaxed by the end of the session.

““Barefoot Deep Tissue Massage should not be painful at anytime and we insist that our clients tell us immediately if they experience any pain or discomfort during the session.”

Santa Barbara Barefoot Massage proceeds through 3 distinct progressive stages and utilizes 4 primary tools; Compression Massage, Myofacial Release, Trigger Point Therapy and Deep Transverse Friction.

Stage I - Compression Massage: Think hydraulics done with gentle compression that effectively warm, stretch and hydrate the fascia and muscles. Compression Massage is Sports Massage’s primary tool for releasing hyper-toned muscles, and getting healthy blood and lymphatic flow back. Barefoot compressions create a durable hyperaemia that is a long lasting flood of blood and nutrients into the tissue. This alone is worth the price of admission and yet it gets even better!

Stage II - Myofascial Release: The layers of myofascia have the ability to contract over the muscles and tendons and effectively bind the area together. Think of this liberation stage as “marvelous stretching”. The therapist uses a soft, relaxed foot and gently sinks deep down into the myofascial layers with broad, sustained traction holds releasing the myofascial trigger points within the muscles and connective tissue. Trigger points within the muscles and connective tissue is the source of most chronic pain conditions. With blood flow returning and the body moving freely, we go even deeper.

Stage III – Tigger Point Therapy & Deep Transverse Friction: With blood flow returned to the area and the myofascial layers released, we arrive at the deepest layers of muscle and connective tissue. Here we apply an appropriate dose of tried and true deep tissue techniques of trigger point therapy for contractive knots and referral pain and deep transverse friction to release adhesions in the ligaments and connective tissue.

Bingo! That’s it! Flush the area, make nice, and let the body begin the healing process pain free, unstuck and with greater blood and lymphatic flow, greater freedom of movement, and greater mind body neural integration. Barefoot Deep Tissue is deeply satisfying, effective and efficient bodywork.