INJURY PREVENTION
What is injury prevention?
Injury prevention is achieved through regular treatments that help release muscle tension and stiffness, improve range of motion and mobility, and restore funtion. There is sufficient scientific evidence which proves that muscle tension and stiffness can lead to injuries such as muscle strains or ligament sprains.
We are also trained to identify weaknesses in your dog’s body which might lead to compensatory patterns with other body parts. Prolonged compensation and overload leads to tension and tightness, and eventually to injury. At Paws4Paws we not only attend to your dog’s muscle stiffness but also to the source of the issue. In other words, we assess why your dog might be compensating and if possible will strengthen a weak area that has been overlooked with a customised rehabilitative strengthening program.
How we can help
We assess your dog’s gait, stance, balance, range of motion and soft tissue in order to identify subtle, unnoticeable-to-the-trained-eye abnormalities such as conformational and postural changes, compensatory patterns and unnoticed soft tissue changes – all of which can reveal an underlying problem. Whilst it often takes months and sometimes even years for an underlying issue to become more severe and therefore visible to the owner, a trained eye can identify a problem in its early stages. Early detection of tense and tight muscles, or even the onset of a degenerative condition such as arthritis will not only prevent more serious problems at a later stage but will also give your dog the best possible chance of either healing (i.e. soft tissue) or management (i.e. degenerative joint conditions such as osteoarthritis, hip/elbow dysplasia, spondylosis among others). We work closely with your vet and if necessary, will refer you back to your vet for a proper diagnosis.
We use a variety of modalities such as remedial massage techniques, myofascial pain and trigger point release, rehabilitative strengthening exercises and acupressure to bring your dog’s body back into balance.
