Massage: More than just a pamper.

Massage is often viewed as a treat for our pets, a pamper session to leave them full of relaxation and feel good endorphins. This is true! However the benefits of massage go much further and deeper than just a pamper. From correcting contracted muscles and eliminating trigger points, to enhancing circulation and healing, massage is a much overlooked tool across both the human and animal rehabilitation industry.

Glossary of terms:

Trigger point - A hyperirritable spot in the tissue, causing pain and restricted movement.

Fascia - A viscous connective tissue covering all internal structures down to a cellular level.

Fasciculation - An involuntary, non painful muscle contraction.

Adhesion - Fibres or bands of tissue that stick together due to injury or dysfunction.

Acupressure points - Specific points on the body that incite various benefits when touched.

Hypertonic - Increased passive stiffness / tightness in a muscle.

Atrophy - Loss of muscle mass, strength and tone etc.

Musculoskeletal - Relating to the musculature and/or skeleton.

Necrosis - Death of cells / tissues.

Analgesia - Pain relief.

What is Animal Massage?

Massage is a blanket term for a wide range of techniques which are applied to the soft tissues to incite various physiological benefits. The main aims being to relieve dysfunction and/or improve the tissues state. Rehabilitative massage addresses soft tissue dysfunctions such as fascial restriction, increased muscular tension, contracture, fasciculations, cramps, adhesions and trigger points. It can also be utilised to improve the quality of scar tissue, and accelerate healing times following injury or surgery.

This practice can be applied to a wide range of species, including dogs, cats, horses and some exotics, with individual therapists utilising different techniques such as compression, myofascial release, and acupressure points. Most of which all aim to achieve similar benefits.

The Physical Benefits of Massage

Improve Flexibility and Range of Motion

Overworked muscles can become hypertonic, which causes the muscle fibres to shorten. This can be uncomfortable, hinders the muscle’s ability to function properly, and as a result can affect the animal’s movement.  In severe cases muscles can become permanently shortened, known as contracture. Massaging these muscles in alignment with the fibres can reduce hypertonicity and re-lengthen the fibres, thus restoring normal function, joint range of motion and overall movement.

Reduce Pain, Inflammation and Swelling

Tissue Inflammation caused by injury, musculoskeletal ailments or surgery cause pain via irritating nerve endings and can cause cell necrosis over time, which is counterproductive to healing. Massage techniques such as compression utilise the ischaemic response and capillary reflux, where blood and subsequent inflammatory mediators are purposely temporarily pushed out of the local tissue, triggering an increase of ‘fresh’ blood and healing mediators to enter upon release of pressure. Thus inflammation and swelling is reduced. Analgesia is also achieved via the release of feel good Endorphins, as well as the pain gate theory.

Fluid Build Up and Immune Health

Fluid build-up unrelated to inflammation in and around tissues can be caused by prolonged immobility and other health problems, which if left unaddressed can restrict movement and damage the surrounding tissues. Utilising the same ischaemic response and capillary reflux, this fluid can be drained back into the lymphatic system to be processed and excreted. This process assists the maintenance of normal immune health.

Performance and DOMS

For working and performance animals, massage can be a fantastic tool to quite literally warm up the muscles for work. Research shows that warmer muscles are better adept at delaying fatigue, not to mention they will be able to kick-start with fresh oxygen and nutrients readily available to use. Following exercise, massage can flush out excess lactic acid and toxins, subsequently preventing or reducing delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Additionally, regular maintenance keeps hypertonicity and other dysfunctions at bay, allowing optimal function and movement, as well as reducing the risk of injury.

Stress and Behaviour

As well as providing pain relief, endorphins can boost the mood and relieve anxiety. Like us, anxious animals hold stress in the muscles, often resulting in lots of hypertonicity. A good massage can release both emotional and physical tension.

Improve Tissue Healing

When soft tissue becomes injured, collagen is packed into the tissue ununiformly to heal the area. However, this now scar tissue is fibrotic and limited in flexibility and strength, thus reducing the functionality of the tissue and increasing the risk of re-injury in the future. Massage in line with the tissue fibres encourages the collagen to be laid more uniformly. Additionally, healing can be accelerated via utilising capillary reflux and piezoelectricity, which is the theory that mechanical pressure during massage is converted into energy the cells can store and utilise, thus upregulating the healing and maintenance processes. In old, completely healed injuries, certain techniques can break apart the ununiform scar tissue, encouraging the healing process to re-occur, enabling the massage therapist to encourage better collagen alignment, and as a result better functionality and reduced risk of future re-injury.

One of my clients falling asleep during a massage.

Embracing the Benefits of Animal Massage

Animal massage goes far beyond an act of pampering; it provides significant benefits for both physical and mental health, and requires a professional knowledgeable in animal anatomy, physiology and behaviour to be truly safe and effective. That being said, your Physical Therapist can certainly teach you things to do at home for your individual animal, providing it is suitable for them!

Incorporating massage into a pet's routine can lead to improved health, happiness, and overall quality of life.