Myofascial Release

Benefit/Purpose:  To provide relief from muscle tension, soreness, spasms and weakness. To provide relief from chronic pain and discomfort from arthritis, hip dysplasia, old injuries, etc.  Also, can provide emotional well-being for your canine.  CLE K9 Rehab can provide a hands-on experience with your animal to calm hyperactivity, anxiousness, and nervousness they may be experiencing.

Frequency:  Typically, once a week or month depending on desired results and the need. If it's just to maintain overall well-being of your dog then once every month is respectable.  If your dog is in competition, more frequent might be desired to help prevent injuries and senior dogs 2 times per month. 

Definitions: “Myo” refers to muscle. Fascia is a tough connective tissue that spreads throughout the body in a three-dimensional web from head to foot without interruption.  In other words, it is a connective tissue (fascia) that surrounds every muscle, bone, nerve, blood vessel, and organ of the body.  “Release” refers to letting go of restrictions.

The connective tissue can become dehydrated, hardened and stuck.  A breakdown of the fascia system due to trauma, poor posture, inflammation or repetitive strain can create an adhesion in the fascia resulting in abnormal pressure on nerves, muscles, bones, or organs.  Myofascial release is the letting go of the adhesive restrictions within the muscle fibers and restoring the normal pressure that allow nerves, muscles, bones, and organs to function optimally.

What to expect?   During a myofascial release session with me, I will put a low load stretch into the tissue(s) for a period of 3 minutes to allow the tissue(s) to re hydrate and release.  This is a very relaxing and effective therapy, facilitating the body’s innate healing mechanisms to realign bony structures and release deep seated tension and trauma.  Your dog will be initially extremely relaxed, followed by feeling energized and exhilarated later on.  This is an effective addition/alternative to massage for the more sensitive animals and sometimes proves to be better than other physical therapies at releasing stubborn areas of tightness, allowing joints to realign. 

Take away:  Myofascial release provides an indirect, non-intrusive approach to soft tissue manipulation: gently moving tissue at the surface level, releasing tight fascia and helping to stimulate the body’s ability to re-align itself.