Canicross, Agility or Flyball?

Physical Therapy for sporting dogs is a must!

Sporting Dogs.

Competing in any kind of sport with your dog’s a fantastic way of keeping you both fit and with sports like Canicross, Agility and Flyball becoming more accessible here in Spain, many people are making the most of it.

When competing in sports the muscular system is often the first place the body will accrue stress, tightness and fatigue all of which make it easier for muscles to pick up injuries like strains, trigger points and myofasial pain.  Some the most common injuries in sporting dogs involve the shoulder; this is especially true in agility dogs. Common shoulder problems include biceps brachii tenosynovitis, supraspinatus insertionopathy, infraspinatus contracture and bursal ossification to name just a few.

Dogs competing in these sports are really the athletes of the canine world and to athletes sports massage isn’t a luxury, it’s a valuable component in their training programme and that’s because of the benefits it provides.

Sports massage not only finds injuries, treating them before they become more serious problems; it’s also one the most effective forms of injury rehabilitation therapies, speeding up the healing process and preventing re-injury.

Some of the benefits include:

• Reduce muscle tension
• Help athletes monitor muscle tone
• Promote relaxation
• Increased range of motion
• Decreased muscle stiffness and soreness after exercise
• Enhanced athletic performance
• Help prevent injuries when massage is received regularly
• Promote faster healing and recovery
• Enhanced performance by warming the muscles, increasing blood flow, enhance mobility and flexibility
• Improved circulation leading to quicker removal of waste materials built up in muscles

The benefits of massage are cumulative, meaning the more often your dogs receives massage therapy, the greater the benefit. These dogs practice and compete at the highest levels, help them get the most from their bodies by scheduling regular massage. A typical massage schedule for high performance athletes is 2 days before a competition, and immediately following to help treat delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).

If you have a sporting dog call 608 803 897 today to find out more about why massage therapy should be an essential part of their programme.