Soft Tissue Injury and Issue

Soft Tissue Injury and Issue

Strain

A strain is a damaging tear or rip to a muscle. This may cause lameness, muscular instability, weakness, serious pain and patterns of over compensation.

A weakened muscle is prone to: 
  • Re-strain which you may see as intermittent lameness, stiffness after exercise/rest, slowing down or ageing overnight, or performance issues.   
  • As part of the bodies healing process the body will lay down scar tissue which can reduce a muscles flexibility by up to 50%. 

Canine Reblance can support by:
  • Remodelling scar tissue, improving the flexibility and elasticity of the muscle
  • Improving range of motion
  • Decreasing the likelihood of a re-strain
  • Improving discomfort and pain
  • Aiding in a quicker return to normal activities of every day life
  • Strengthening the weakened musculature 
  • Improving proprioception

Sprain

A sprain is a tear to the ligament. Ligaments attach bone to bone; they are made of thick bands of cartilage. When a ligament is overstretched it can sometimes rupture or tear, e.g. Cruciate Ligament injury and just like a strain can be extremely debilitating, cause weakness, instability in the soft tissues and cause over compensatory issues. The dog will be in serious pain when weight bearing and when trying to use the affected area. If your dog suffers a complete rupture of a ligament it is likely that they will need to undergo surgery.

Canine Rebalance can support by: 
  • Reducing and managing pain
  • Resolving overcompensating issues in other areas of the body
  • Reducing inflammation
  • Increasing recovery times
  • Improving the development of soft tissue in wasted and atrophied muscles
  • Building and strengthening muscles
  • Improving proprioception 

Hypertonicity

Hypertonicity is an abnormal increase in muscle tone that causes extreme tightness and hardening of the muscle. The resting length of the muscle should be a partially contracted state, over contraction associated with hypertonicity causes the muscle to shorten. This is when a muscle is most prone to a strain if left unresolved. Bulging muscles, hard muscle, a decrease in flexibility, looking stiff when walking are all signs of hypertonia.   

Canine Rebalance can support by: 
  • Reducing and managing comfort levels
  • Resolving muscular issues in other areas of the body
  • Reducing the tension
  • Building and strengthening muscles
  • Improving proprioception 
  • Reducing the over contraction of the affected muscle

Trigger Point

A trigger point is a hyper irritable taut band of soft tissue within the muscle. You may recognise these as tight ‘knots’, they feel like a continuous dull ache or as sharp lightening pain. They cause oxygen and nutrient depletion to the muscle (known as ischemia) and patterns of pain referral (axon branching).   

Symptoms:
  • Skin twitching
  • A tickly spot (a nervous reflex e.g. the back-leg suddenly kicks back)
  • Reluctance in being groomed and touched
  • Sitting down when stroked over the pelvis or back legs
  • Slowing down
  • Stiffness when getting up but improves with continual stride
  • Lying down to eat
  • Fur twirls in a different way or sticks up in places it hasn't before
 
Canine Rebalance can support by:
  • Releasing the focal point of tension 
  • Increasing range of motion
  • Decreasing pain and discomfort

Myofascial Pain

Myofascial pain is directly linked to multiple trigger points, this is the pain caused by constrictions in the fascia. Wide radiating myofascial pain is used to describe the pain caused when a large area of fascia is affected by multiple trigger points. When left untreated these larger areas of pain  can cause postural deformities. 

Symptoms:
  • Skin twitching
  • A tickly spot (a nervous reflex e.g. the back-leg suddenly kicks back)
  • Reluctance in being groomed and touched
  • Sitting down when stroked over the pelvis or back legs
  • Slowing down
  • Stiffness when getting up but improves with continual stride
  • Lying down to eat
  • Fur twirls in a different way or sticks up in places it hasn't before
 
Canine Rebalance can support by:
  • Releasing the focal point of tension 
  • Increasing range of motion
  • Decreasing pain and discomfort

Remember to download the Veterinary Referral Form

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