Massage & The Competition Dog

It’s no secret that massage is a key element of maintaining & treating the human athlete

*why should it be any different for our canine athletes??*

Repetitive, intense training & competition puts a strain even on the fittest of dogs. Regular Clinical Canine Massage can not only enhance the performance of your dog but acts as a vital tool for detecting early muscle dysfunction before it becomes an issue.

** Tight, shortened, overworked muscles are prone to injury & early fatigue **

** Impaired mobility & range of motion directly affect performance **

Massage therapy for the canine athlete can:

• Improve Performance
• Address performance issues
• Reduce pain/muscular discomfort
• Improve mobility/technique
• Shorten recovery time post competition

How does massage help??

• Improved blood flow: the encouragement of venous blood back to the heart enhances blood flow. This not only promotes fresh nutrients & oxygen to the tissues, but also promotes the removal of toxins from the muscular tissue
• Reduced muscle tension & promotion of ‘normal, healthy’ muscle tone. Flexible, unrestricted muscle tone allows for a full range of motion & ease of motion. Tight, tense muscles account for restrictions & can be associated with a decline in performance. Tense/tight muscles are most prone to injury.
• Address any injuries/muscular dysfunction. This list includes: strains – tears to individual muscle fibres, trigger points – debilitating knots,  myofascial restrictions

Signs of muscular issues in the competition dog:

• Change in jump technique
• Pole knocking
• Measuring/Stutter stepping
• Wide weaves/skipping weaves
• Contact issues
• Change in enthusiam for training/competion
• Stiffness/Gait change
• Poor box technique 

 

NCM Sponsor dog, top flight flyball dog Nimbus
Nimbus runs for the BFA registered WOW flyball team in the top A team, current British & European record holders

Advertisements