Muscle Damage.
Muscle Injuries, including ligament and tendon damage, are usually classified as stage 1-2 or 3 injuries, starting with severe strains as stage 1 through to torn or ruptured muscles at stage 3.
I would like to look at the reasons for muscle injuries occurring.
Quite often undesirable changes in muscle structure consist of the top edge of the muscle sheaths separating between various muscles or muscle groups that are normally joined together.
When the dog/s have had a period of 5 to 6 sessions of serious work loads, this can be the most vunerable time that follows. This is when it’s likely to have undesirable changes in muscle structure. These changes consist of the top edge of the muscle sheaths separating between various muscles or muscle groups that are normally joined together.
Separation that often occurs between the bottom edge of the GLUTEAL and the top edge of the TENSOR FACIA LATA. This separation if left untreated, will eventually result in a torn groin that splits at the top edge of the PECTINEUS: They can also sustain injuries to the front and rear legs effecting different muscles, ligaments and tendons.
The only reason that these changes occur is due to the repetitive strain causing some muscle to tighten into excessive muscle tone.
The muscle still functions and contracts as normal but is no longer capable of allowing the limb to extend fully.
Just because you can stretch the dogs leg fully out, has little to show you what really occurs when the dog is running flat out or scaling a 6-foot wall.
Treating excessive muscle tone after each strenuous work out will minimize all of the muscle injuries.
Locating excessive muscle tone and injury problems can be done by touch. Checking for swelling, different muscle texture and a pain response but too much pressure can give a false indication.
To help avoid such problems it is a good idea to have the dog checked over and be given a muscle massage that includes pressure on the various muscle points at the top and bottom of all the muscles. This is easily done by yourself. Walking the dog as soon as possible after strenuous exercise assists in the muscles recovery.
Dog Chiropractic & Therapy Centre.
Garry Pitt; dogchiropractor@bigpond.com
Mobile; 0410 545 779